Stormfall: Age of War The Return
by Gorvar
Summary: In a world where the gods have left the mortal races to face the dark hordes by themselves, Lord Oberon of Stormfall, the Empire's last Hero, comes across a young girl called Faith who might bring salvation to the realm of Darkshine...or forever plunge it into the dark abyss. ( Stormfall: Age of War is owned by Plarium and the source material is used with their permission.)
1. Prologue

Prologue

_The stars were ablaze as chaos and order struck each other repeatedly. In this one moment, the cosmos held it's breath as the fate of a world along with its inhabitants and those who needed their worship to remain alive was decided on this one battlefield._

_The sounds of war and violence deafened all those who belonged to the plane of mortals. Thousands of men, elves, dwarves and shades died as they fought back the darkness, the force they called the black horde, to the crack of Anher'even, the underworld which spawned the darkness which threatened to destroy Darkshine. It took Seven Kings to form a mighty Empire and an united army to march against the Dark Horde. Millions of lives and thousands of cities burning were the cost of building the Empire, thousands more were spend keeping that order in place as the Emperor and his Seven Kings fought those who did not join them and the Darkness. There was no neutral party in this war._

_Above the fighting armies, unseen to all but a select few, were two large giants who fought their own war. One was a handsome man who wore a blue tabard and wielded a great long spear. The other was a man covered in black as his armour sported several skulls on his shoulders. Each skull was one of their peers. A god slain and their essence stripped to fuel the hunger of the one they called the Godslayer._

_The two armies below fought for seven days, neither side retreating or advancing. Thousands lay dead in piles as even the carrion bird counted among the dead. The brief reprieves came when the gods above rested for a short moment before they continued their deadly dance. Both gods backed away as they gathered their strength. "Your days are numbered, Balur!" the blue god said." I have the power of all the remaining gods, you are only fighting off the inevitable!"_  
_"That may be so Weor, but ALL of your children deserve to life on this world. Not just the pretty ones!"_  
_"You have killed our brothers and sisters over those mongrels?!" Weor twirled his spear around as the elven archers below knocked their arrows to their bows." Those were a mistake, a first draft of my greater dream!"_

_"They have dreams as well, brother!" Balur retorted. He held out his hand which summoned a dark whetstone and began sharpening his black sword. Below the orcish drummers began their deadly song for one final march. " They were YOUR children and you cast them aside. Calling them nightmares and monsters. If it were not for them your dream could not have been made!"_  
_"And what made you their champion, brother? What made you the Godslayer?! " Weor cried out." You corrupted them!"_

_Balur glared. "You STILL do not understand, do you?" He threw his sharpening stone away as the Generals below called for one last charge." I am the voice of the children you cast out, I am the voice of those who had enough of YOUR rule. I GAVE THEM A HOME! You sanctimonious prattle about order and justice. About beauty and light…all lies. All ways to control everyone to do YOUR bidding. Men, Elves, Dwarves, Shades, Halflings, Orcs, Ogres, Eir, the other gods, me. We are all pawns in your little game of order. I am the only one who had enough of your orders."_

_"You are mad." Weor glared as he took an defensive stance. The armies below him moved in formation and waited for the oncoming charge." My rules and order are the only things keeping us from Oblivion! You are killing us, ALL of us if you are not stopped! And you are NOT one of us!"_  
_"Then the time of gods should be over then!" Balur said as he held out his sword. The dark banners were raised as the Dark Horde moved forward." I will remake this world and plunge it into darkness! Where no beauty or ugliness exists. Where order and chaos are left alone. A new world where all living things will huddle together in fear to survive. A new world. A free world!"_  
_"The world will be free." Weor agreed." But it will be with the sun shining high and bright!"_  
_"Then let us end this, once and for all." Balur retorted._

_The time of talk was over. Both knew this would be the end for either or both of them. Balur roared as the eclipse above them flashed red. He charged forward, black sword in hand, as he went to slay his brother. The Godlslayer held his sword high and send it down toward his brother's neck._  
_Weor held his ground and jabbed his spear forward at the last possible moment. Both their weapons struck flesh, both their weapons mortally wounded each side._

_Balur held his bleeding side as his dark drops of blood fell down from the heavens. The drops turned to fire and rained down on both armies. The Dark Horde and Army of the Empire alike fled from the chaos as the former ran for the underworld while the rest fled to the hills above the bloodshed. Weor's gasps for air caused the lines below to falter as the soldiers below, no matter what race they hailed from, fled to whatever brought them to what he hoped was safety. Balur stumbled back to his crevice, glaring at his older brother." This…is not over, Dreamer." He disappeared into the crevice and vanished along with the Horde that fled to the underworld._

_Weor laid back as the stars began to die one by one. "Eir…." He reached for the moon above." My love…my wife…" He wished for her to be here with him. To stray his hair and say he would be alright. Already he could see a faint figure of a beautiful woman ride down on a spectral horse from the moon with several others of their kin. But Weor knew he would not last long enough for them to arrive. He failed them, he failed his brothers and sisters. His children, Darkshine, all of creation. In the end he could only do one thing. He closed his eyes and focused al of his remaining energy on one person in the timelines. One person who would be there when the darkness would return to swallow Darkshine whole. With his lasts thoughts he hoped that energy would be enough and that the person would be ready for the task ahead of her._

The smell of smoke and burning flesh brought tears to her eyes as the blonde girl kept staring at the carnage before her. In one flash, one heartbeat, her entire life changed. Her house was burning all around her as she kept staring at the lifeless body of the woman before her. The closet from upstairs crashed down when the flaming boulder crashed through the roof of the home and fell upon the woman with its full weight. She did not die instantly no. She suffered her last dying words nothing more but cries of pain and incoherent cries of pain and pleas to the goddess Eir to extend her life for a bit longer or to save her child from Balur's Hordes. Neither pleas were heard.

The girl clutched her mother's hand and knelt beside her, waiting for her to wake up from her sleep.  
The door was being kicked in and the vile tongue of monsters send chills down the girl's spine. But she stayed. She had to stay.  
The door came off its hinges as the creatures came forth. They were ugly creatures, green skinned abominations. Mere shadows of the people that once were stolen from the world and dragged to the underworld by the dark lord Balur. After the day of the eclipse, the poor unfortunate souls returned as Orcs. Those souls with their dark wicked blades grinned and cackled as they saw the little girl.  
"Good, one left." The largest of the Orcs said." Take her. Nearly of age to. Will brood more later. Yes."  
"Yes boss." A smaller one replied and moved to the girl. It's hands reached toward the girl as it cackled with glee. The cackle turned to a scream of pine as the knife flashed from the girl's other hand and stabbed the orc in the hand. The creature cried out in pain and ran around the house, jumping up and down, as the others laughed at their brother's misfortune.

"That one has spirit!" One of the Orcs said as they watched the girl slowly raise with a bloodied knife in her hand. They were not going to take her, not alive at least. Her eyes were glowing with hate as her hand clenched to the cooking knife. She barely paid attention to her home crumbling down because of the flames.  
"Take her, house is coming down!" The leader said and shoved another Orc forward. She lashed out and drew more blood. She kept stabbing and punching and biting but the Orc group dragged her from the burning home. She was crying out in anger before they gagged her with a piece of dark cloth.  
"Noise on that one..." one of the Orcs growled." I will enjoy breaking her spine."  
"No, need her. For work." The leader said.  
The girl kept struggling, biting on the cloth. The last thing she remembered was the Orc giving the order to knock her out before the blow to the head came.

She dreamed. She knew she was in danger and she had to wake up, but she dreamed. At first she thought she saw her village burning, but it was more than that. She was stood in the middle of the town square, next to the statue of Emperor Berhardt the elder. She saw people dying around her, people she knew for years. The baker who always made extra cream buns for her, the blacksmith who winked at her and even laughed when she insulted him, the local priestess who urged her the virtue of patience in all manners. And her mother who braided her hair with a big smile on her face.  
She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She wanted to scream but her throat was not large enough. She wanted to kill the Orcs for what they did, but she was to weak.  
"You are ready." A voice said to her. The girl turned around and saw a man with a blue tabard in a warrior's armour look at her." You are ready for my gift."  
She looked for a weapon and hastily picked up a rock and threw it at him. The man slapped it aside easily." Rebellious I see… I have no time for this. If you need to be the weapon that stops Bhaal you need to start anew. A Fresh start." He walked over to her. She tried to run but he came ever closer no matter how hard she ran or dodged.  
"Hold still girl!" he called to her." There is little time ad we have to much work to do."  
she kept running as she ignored his calls. She jumped over turned over carts, over cow corpses, passed through people running and fighting and dying. She stood in front of an dead end. She cursed and turned around and faced the blue warrior. He took her by her throat instantly and started to disappear.  
"We will both begin anew, a new life. A new name. Have faith young one…have faith…"

The girl awoke with a gasp of air. Her eyes darted all over as she tried to place where she was. The green creatures around her were dead, the buildings around them were burned out as a cold wind began to pick up. The moon was out and cast a horrible view on the dead village around her. The blonde girl immediately jumped up and ran away from the dead. She kept running, past the village's meager wooden gates and past the outlying burned out hovels after. She did not know how long she ran. Or when she was spotted by the riders behind her. They called her and asked her to stop but she ignored them and kept running. She did stop when they gained on her and pulled a circle around them.

The armoured horse riders were mostly women save for three men who wore dark armour and one man who dismounted and walked over to her. He looked older then the rest. His beard and hair were gray, his face spoke of experience and his kind smile actually assured her he was trustworthy.  
"It's alright my girl, you are save now." He said with a smile. " You gave our horses quite a bit of trouble. They aren't used to running through forests you know."  
The girl was panting as she tried to collect herself.  
"Whats your name?" he asked her.  
"She's just a peasant, Lord Oberon." One of the women riders said . she held the banner of a black lion on a yellow field. Her features were hidden behind her helmet but what the girl saw was a stern face with piercing green eyes." She's probably from a village nearby. Not worth bothering."  
"You know which one Lady Karland?" the man called Oberon asked her.  
"Vestig, the farming one is nearby." Lady Karland replied.  
"My lord, her clothes are covered in soot and blood." One of the other female knights noted.  
"I see…my girl, has something happened to your village?"

The girl looked at the group around them, her eyes still filled with caution. "Orcs." The blonde girl spoke. The knights all muttered amongst themselves until Lady Karland called them to calm down.  
"That would explain the smoke we saw earlier today…" Oberon sighed sadly." Did anyone else make it out, girl?" she shook her head." I'm sorry for your loss…" He offered her hand." Come, lets get you to Karland hold. You can rest easy there."  
The girl looked at his hand cautiously, but eventually took it and sat behind him on his horse. As Lady Karland called the party to advance the girl pulled in closer to Oberon." Faith."  
"What?"  
"My name. My name is Faith."

TBC


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Karland Lion greeted the riders as they approached the main gates. The black lion on a yellow field was bright enough for them to see thanks to the moon light and of coruse the dozens of flaming braziers along the walls. Faith peeked from behind Lord Oberon and could not help but marvel at the walls. Several men walked along the walls, their bows and crossbows slung over their back. Some of the men were shorter than the others and had a beard which went to their torso's. Oberon must've noticed her looking.  
"Those are dwarves, Faith." He explained." House Karland has had a long and friendly relationship with the dwarven kingdoms in the mountains."  
"My grandfather married a dwarven noblewoman." Lady Karland said as the riders and their mounts slowed down their ride to a trot." She took a lot of her kin with her when she moved upstairs."  
Faith nodded at her before she went back to huddling behind Oberon. Lady Karland shook her head and rode forward.

"Who goes there?!" A loud voice rang from the portculis.  
"Open your eyes, old man. It's me." Lady Karland said with a smirk on her face.  
"Ah Lady Katarina, still as crude as ever. You know us dwarves cant see very well in the dark!" A dwarf stepped outside of the gatehouse and leaned over the wall. Faith could not see him clearly save for a grey beard when he neared one of the braziers.  
"Curious. I recall you boasting about how dwarves have sharper eyes in the dark then any elf, no matter the age."  
"Aye, well-" the dwarf muttered in his beard.  
"And ears sharper then a fox to." One of the knights added.  
"And the prowess of a bear in heat!" Another laughed.  
"Careful now, I spanked all of your bums when you were little and no title is going to stop me from giving you all another one!" the dwarf retorted." I'll meet you lot downstairs. OPEN THE GATES!"

The metal gate opened as the riders moved forward. A small group of warriors bearing the tabard of the Karland Lion saluted at Lady Karland before they took her horse by the reigns while another took her banner. She dismounted as did everyone else in the party, including Lord Oberon and Faith. He helped the blonde girl down as looked at Lady Katarina." Spanked you did he?"  
"Don't." she warned with a tone of mischief. She took off her helmet and waved her head which threw her long red hair around. The other female knights followed their lady's notion and also took off their helmets in the same way, even those with short hair. The men in their dark armour merely took off their helmet and left it at that.

Faith looked around her and despite it being night, she could see quite a bit of the Hold. There were houses all around them but all were neatly placed within the walls. The town hall was right ahead, which she believed was the town hall guessing by the board above the door. It was a two store building with four spires and the sigil of House Karland above the door. The market stalls to her left were empty of course but the stables on the other side of the road were filled with quite a few horses, even more so as the horses of the party were led in. but the castle above drew her attention. The castle was build upon a hill, complete with a drawbridge and a moat. Faith spotted more braziers, more banners and of course guards but it was to dark and far away to see clearly what race they were or what weapons or armour they wore.

Katarina walked over to the stairway as a dwarf walked down from them. Now in the courtyard Faith could see the man clearly. He was half the size of the tall Lord Oberon but his beard was down to his torso and just as gray as Oberon. His face was crackled and a long scar that ran across his cheek, but it was a kind face and his laughter filled Faith with warmth. "Good to see you again, my lady." He smiled at Katarina." How did the patrol go?" he glanced over to Faith." I see you brought a guest."

"Not a guest I'm afraid Grand Marshall Hadgar." Oberon replied and turned to Faith." We found her on the way back. Near Vestig."  
"I see soot on her and smell burning…blood…" Hadgar mused." You think Vestig is the place where the smoke came from earlier? The boys at the Eagle's Nest thought as much."  
"Maybe, the girl hasn't said much." Katarina handed her helmet over to a servant without looking." The things she did say during the ride back was to Lord Oberon."  
"I have a friendly face." Oberon chuckled.  
"Clearly." Hadgar chuckled as well and walked over to Faith." Are you alright, lass?"  
Faith looked up at Oberon. As the older man smiled and nodded, the blonde girl turned to the dwarf and gave a quick nod.  
"She said Orcs attacked her village." Katarina said." That and her name is all she remembered."  
"Orcs?" the dwarf looked alarmed." So Thorvik's vision and the smoke…" He paused a moment to catch his thoughts." Vestig is but a stone's throw away from here."  
Katarina nodded." I know. Tomorrow I'll send my Lionesses there to investigate but right now get Thovik to ready the Golems, just in case." The older dwarf slammed his fist on his chest where his guard was and quickly walked off.

"I'll arrange sleeping quarters for the peasant girl, Lord Oberon." Katarina said." I rather you wrote to the Citadel and informed them that the Orcs have indeed gotten here. I'll petition the House of Lords to round up more conscripts and ask the Eagle's nest to look for the Orc camp nearby."  
"My name is Faith." Faith glared at Lady Karland. Both Oberon and Katarina alike blinked at the sudden proclamation.  
"Excuse me?" Katarina frowned but Faith merely frowned in return." Do you know who you-"  
"Lady Karland, please let this be." Oberon said." The poor girl lost her home today and is obviously in some kind of amnesiac shock. She didn't know how a dwarf looked like despite living in your lands."  
Katarina frowned still, especially when she locked eyes with Faith.  
"Please, Lady Karland. Your father was an understanding man who loved and protected his smallfolk. Please tell me some of that was inherited by his daughter."  
"That is no excuse for allowing her to disrespect me."

"You treat me like I am nothing!" Faith shouted. The Lionesses and the knights all turned to the quiet girl who suddenly had found her voice." I may be a peasant, but that does not mean I will allow you to disrespect me." She did not stop, her mind told her to stop but her heart took over." Your protection failed today and a village got destroyed because of it. I saw hundreds of people dead, buildings destroyed and darkness consume everything."  
Katarina had her hand on the pommel of her sword." I see you are angry, you want revenge?"  
"Yes." Faith said without really thinking." I want to kill the Orcs for what they did! I want to make them feel the pain for every life they stole!" A red rage took hold. No, not red..blue. " I want to crush their bones and make them beg for mercy! I want to be the creature that haunts their nightmares! I want to unmake them!"  
Katarina inspected her and looked her up and over." Are you willing to fight for me and Karland Hold? To face it's enemies and defend it's people?"  
"Yes!" Faith exclaimed.  
"My lady is what you should've said at the end of that sentence." She closed in to the blonde girl." You girl…Faith, need to learn your place. Or re-learn in your case. I want soldiers, not heroes or martyrs." Katarina said and walked off.

"Stop!" Faith called out as her previous found courage bled out like a sore wound." I want to fight, please! My lady!"  
"Faith, I don't think this is a good idea my girl." Oberon placed his hand on her shoulder.  
"I w-want to fight." Faith tried to control herself." I don't have anything else left…"  
Oberon paused for a moment." Look into my eyes, girl."  
"W-what?" Faith sniffed.  
"My eyes, look into my eyes." He said.  
Faith wiped her eyes and did as the Lord of Stormfall said. The older man peered deeply into her eyes and gently held her by her shoulders. He gave a quick nod. "Stay here please." Oberon told faith and ran after Katarina." Lady Katarina, a word if you please. "  
"What is it, Lord Oberon?" Katarina asked." If this is about that peasant girl-"  
"I want you to give her a chance please. She is angry, confused. But motivated. If the Orcs are indeed coming to your lands you will need every warm body you can get."

"I want people who can follow orders, Oberon. Not heroes who don't know the chain of command. She doesn't know how war works. There is more to it than two idiots hacking away at each other with pointy bits of metal." Oberon raised his brow at the Lady of Karland Hall before giving a shrug. "Well, yes that is more or less the core of the Idea..." she composed herself again." Why do you care? She is just some girl you found on the side of the road. You know NOTHING about her."  
"I have a good judge of character and a gut feeling. You call it suspicious we found her. I call it fate. Lady Karland…Katarina, please give her this chance." Oberon asked. They stopped before the front door of the Town Hall." I remember a talented young girl with hair as red as fire who asked me to teach her how to fight despite the Lord of Karland Hold's wishes."  
"I am not like my father, Oberon." Katarina said. "Nor am I six anymore."  
"I'm seeing the same situation before me, fifteen years later." Oberon said." She has this…glint in her eye. She can be a proper soldier. She just needs a good tutor. And one chance to prove herself."

She sighed." I am not a cruel woman, Oberon. I care about the people who died in Vestig. They were under my family's protection for generations. I do and I can promise you that I will hunt the monsters down who are responsible for this." She looked over at the girl one last time before she drew Oberon closer." Noticed she not once mention her family? We presume she's from Vestig , how do we know she isn't some kind of Orc spy? We know nothing about her. I will only ride out to battle with people I can trust."  
"I trust her." Oberon replied. " Do you trust me?"  
Katarina looked at her feet as she cursed herself internally." Alright, she can join Ser Karl's Pikemen tomorrow."  
"Thank you, Katarina." Oberon smiled." She will not disappoint you." "For our sake, I hope you are right." She replied and entered the town hall.

Faith saw Lord Oberon and Lady Karland argue as the other knights left her to her devices. Her previously gained courage bled out of her as she waited for something, anything.  
"Don't mind Lady Karland." A friendly voice said. Faith turned as a young man in a long purple robe walked over with a large tome slung under his arm." She is a stern woman but deep down she cares about her people, and you by extension." He looked young, a bit older then Faith but younger then Lady Karland but not by much. His hair was dark brown but neatly cut short as a small beard grew on his chin.  
"She looked like she was going to bite my head off…" Faith said.  
"She has that with a lot of people." The boy chuckled and offered his hand." Thorvik."  
Faith looked at his hand oddly. She extended hers." Faith."  
"Nice name." Thorvik smiled and took her hand. She panicked for a moment but after a fast handshake the purple robed young man let go." And nice to meet you, Faith. I'm sorry for your village."

"Truth be told….I do not remember much about my village." She admitted." One moment I was dreaming, the next I was surrounded by…" she stopped and shook her head. " It's to early to talk about."  
"It's alright, my apologies for bringing it up." Thorvik smiled." You remember anything about your dream?"  
"I remember…a man in blue armour. He was fighting someone else…I don't remember who. I was running…" she shook her head." Nevermind, it's just some stupid dream."  
"Some dreams are yes, but as my Master Radfael once said, dreams are needed for a man to grow just as much as food, water and air are."  
"Really?" Faith asked.  
"There is power in dreams. " Thorvik switched the tome over to his other arm." Dreams can give a man, or woman, ideas for the future. They can also Inspire, reflect on what you do in body and soul and are a key to your memory. They can change lives if planted correctly."  
"Like visions?" Faith asked.  
"Amongst other things. " Thorvik replied. He looked up as Lord Oberon walked back toward Faith." I will let you be Faith, I have some Golems to summon in case something bad tries to come our way." He smiled." I'll see you around im sure. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, Thorvik." She smiled and waved a little as he walked off to a large building with green runes embedded on it.

"I see you are making friends." Oberon smiled." You know who he is?"  
"He said his name is Thorvik." Faith replied.  
"One of Brother Radfael's best and brightest students. He is Karland Hold's scribe, he's the one managing the library and summons the Golems and other…creatures in case Karland Hold needs them. Pray to the gods that will not be for a long time to come."  
"Did you talk to Lady Karland?" Faith asked.  
"I did. I got you to train with Ser Karl tomorrow. He is a though but fair man. He will teach you how to be a Pikeman…woman…person. You are going to learn how to stab people with a pike." Oberon said.  
"Thank you." Faith smiled and held him." Thank you…"  
"Don't thank me yet….come, lets get you some food and somewhere to sleep. It's an early day tomorrow and you are going to need your strength if you want to fight orcs."

A few hours later, Faith slept in the guest room in the town hall. It was not the room of a highborn lady, she imagined Katarina rather died then give her a better room, but the bed was soft and the small window showed the courtyard outside. She faintly heard the owls hoot and some guardsmen chat as the moon began to set. A few hours until sunrise she thought. Lord Oberon was seated in a chair to the corner of the room. He was fast asleep guessing by the way he snored, but it wasn't to bothersome. Something else kept her awake though.  
Her mind raced a thousand miles an hour now she had a moment to sit and think. She could only remember the village and this dream. She was being chased by a blue warrior. He was calling to her…there were orcs there as well. Was he part of them? Was it a dream? Did she have a family? Friends? A boyfriend? She only knew her name was Faith but was Faith even her real name? Why couldn't she remember? Eventually her weariness won out and her eyelids slammed shut in front of her.

She felt her spirit fly over Karland Hold. She saw Ser Hadgar snoring in his quarters near the gate as he held a flask of ale in his hand. She flew around the wall and saw the guards walk around them. She saw balista's and pots of oil being next to fireplaces in case of an attack. She could see inside the houses and saw people sleep, unaware of the slaughter that happened a mere stone's throw away. She felt drawn to the castle and flew there. She flew pat the guards and through the opening of the doors. She flew past portraits of the previous Lords and ladies Karland she assumed. She passed by several servants who cleaned the dust and other menial tasks. She stopped in front of a statue stood on one side of the throne room. It was a horsewoman who held her spear down to thrust an unseen vow as her horse leaned in to bite the same foe with his teeth. Veyon and Ran. The patron gods of Knights. She looked to the other side and saw a woman riding a horse as well with her bow aimed at a deer just in front of her. Dana, the goddess of the hunt. Those three names sprang to her mind like the names of siblings did. How did she know the name of these two gods? How did she know their names and not the one of her mother? Did she even have a mother?

"Hello." Someone said. Faith turned around and saw a little girl with blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed like a noble girl and eve had a little lion sown on her breast, where her heart should be. She smiled at Faith and tilted her head to the side." Whats your name? My name is Amelia."  
Before she could react a noble man with red hair who wore a yellow silk shirt and a black cloak and trousers picked up the little girl. Faith could not hear what he said but he smiled at the little girl and pecked her cheek before taking her away. The girl called Amelia kept her green eyes on Faith until she turned around the corner.

_Faith blinked until she heard a giggle. The giggle lured her to one room above. She flew above the stairs and followed the laughter. Two guards were stood in front of a large door, unmoved by the laughter. Faith pushed through the door and noticed one of the guards shuddered. She went inside the large room which had nice furniture everywhere, all in the shape of a lion. A large mirror in the shape of a lion holding it. An armoire in the shape of a lion's maw, a large rug from a lion's pelt…it was obvious who lived her. However the clothing on the rug drew Faith's attention. It was similar to the clothing she saw on the red haired man who took Amelia, but made for a woman. And more surprising she recognized a purple robe and the tome on the night table. Faith's eyes went to the bed as she saw movement under the sheets. She floated above as she saw a mess of red hair all over the pillows as a young scribe kissed the owner of said red hair. The giggle made room to roars of pleasure which was the sign Faith had to leave._ With cheeks blushing red She flew as fast as she could out of the room back into the night sky above…where a red bat creature was waiting for her.

It screeched loudly which made Faith cry out in horrible pain as she began to fall down. She felt a dark blackness ooze around her as it spoke but one sentence." Weor, I found you …"

TBC


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sound of commerce ran through the courtyard of Karland Hall. Caravans, escorted by mounted riders on horseback, arrived and left the Hold's gates as men and dwarf haggled at the stalls for the best prices. It was a common sight since with the caravans came goods as well as information. Severals banners waved in the wind. Three purple Spiders of House Wilberg waved alongside the Giant of the Gigant Tribe of the Northern nomads. The Antorich hammer and Anvil of Caer Bran was placed next to Stormfall's own sigil. His ride home, Oberon thought, but not yet.  
Oberon smoked his pipe as he leaned on the balcony of the town hall as he looked at a certain caravan that arrived an hour before that had his interest. The riders tabards and the sail over the cart brandished an white albatross over a blue field.  
"House Seagard." He said absentmindedly." Wonder what they are doing here so far from the sea…"  
"Believe it or not, Lord Oberon." Hadgar said as he walked toward the Lord of Stormfall." But even folk who life by the sea can get tired of fish and rather have some salted venison from time to time." He held two cups of ale in his hand and offered one to the man. Oberon smiled a little and gladly took a cup. "Most men say it would be to early for a drink." He said to the dwarf.  
"Aye, but we dwarves aren't most mind." Hadgar chuckled and took a big gulp from his cup." If you don't want it I'm sure I can give the contents of that cup a good home."  
"I am sure." Oberon took a big sip from his." I heard there was some commotion this morning."

"Aye." Hadgar took a chair from the room and dragged it to the balcony where he plodded himself on it." The men found a large red bat creature hovering round the hold in the wee early hours in the morning. One of the lads shot it down."  
"Marennon?" Oberon frowned to which the dwarf nodded in agreement." Just one?"  
"Aye I know." The dwarf placed his cup down on the railing." Where Marennon go a group of Orcs aint to far behind. Lady Karland has send extra troops to the nearby villages and the Eagle Nest has people looking for Orcs around the clock. We're not going to have another Verden." Hadgar assured. "As soon as one greenskin pops his ugly head on the horizon, the Lionesses will pounce on him and eat him raw."  
"Still, the loss of Vestig has run its course." Oberon placed his cup down and began smoking again." Verden provided a lot of crops to Karland Hold and the rest of Karland lands. They will be missed when winter comes and probably most important of all…this attack may have been a message."  
"What kind of message?" Hadgar asked.  
"That they can strike wherever they want, whenever they want."

The Lord of Stormfall stood up and took his cup before he walked to the other side of the room toward another balcony, this time overlooking the barracks down below where the recruits were preparing.  
"How's Faith handling all of this?" the dwarf followed." It must been horrible for her. Losing her home, family, all she knew…"  
"Here is the thing." Oberon said." She doesn't seem to mind. In fact she is motivated to fight the Orcs. However last night she fell down from her bed because of a nightmares though. So some part of her is still coping with it."  
"Well Ser Karl will train her well." Hadgar said." Trained the boy myself. He even lead the attack on Castle Darrow a few years ago when the Spiders- I mean House Willberg tried to raid our lands."  
"I heard about that..." Oberon said as he saw Faith and a series of other recruits, mostly young human men, all stood straight as their drill officer shouted at them. He was a tall older man with tanned skin. His short hair was as black as coal and his eyes seemed lit like brimstone. He had no facial hair save for a short moustache. His armour was made out of leather with the Karland Lion on his breast while the sword on his left hip had an interesting crescent moon design." He is not from around here is he?"

"No he is from the Eastern tribes. Lord Harren Karland, gods bless his soul, had his fingers in as many pies as he could. He married a dwarven woman from Caer Ban aye, but he kept ties ta Seagard by taking on of his wee girls as a ward so he has connections to the tree hugging point ears at the Isles of Arc. I don't know why though. You ever seen the bosom of an elven woman? There's barely anything there! If I want to rest my head on a woman's breasts I want them to be the size of mel-"  
"Ser Karl, Hadgar." Oberon coughed.  
"Right, sorry." Hadgar excused himself." Harren made friends with the Gigant tribe and the Eastern Warhogs, that's the tribe Karl is a part of. Or was rather. He fancied living here and after the Willberg rebelions and the victory and the title Ser that came with it, he decided to stay. Both the tribes drop by from time to time trading pelts for sapphires and such. If the Orcs are proving to be troublesome, Lady Karland can just call in that debt and we'll have our Lioness knights riding alongside half-naked barbarians."  
"If things go south, she may have to…" Oberon said as he looked at the training down below.

"My name is Ser Karlag Khan, Karl for short!" Ser Karl shouted as he walked past the group of recruits. They all wore the trainee outfit of leather tunic and woolen trousers along with a yellow vest with the Black lion on the side where the heart should be. All had their fist clenched and placed on their chest. Others winced at the loud noise that came from the Nomad warrior but Faith kept her back straight. "For the next few weeks I will be your instructor who will be tasked to teach you pitiful excuses of human waste to be warriors worthy of serving under the Karland Lion!" He strode past the ranks."All right children let me tell you why you did the right thing for choosing to be part of the Pikemen! A day in the Pikemen is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every payday a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE being part of the Karland Pikemen! The Lionesses are the claws of the Lion but we're the teeth! they charge in and we provide the killing blow." A young man in the back rows snickered as he whispered something to his friend. Faith nearly felt pity on the young man as Karl stormed over. He stopped dead straight in front of a young man. Without any warning Karl punched the young man in the stomach which made him buckle.  
"I am sorry, did I interrupt your little tea party?!" Karl cracked his knuckles.  
"N-no sir…" the boy with the dirty blonde hair coughed. Faith noticed he had a small horse on his cheek.  
"Good, I hate it when people interrupt other people's conversation. It's very rude." Karl glared.  
"Quite so…sir." The blonde boy said as he slowly stood back up straight. He had a mischievous grin on his face despite the punch in the gut. Faith saw Karl didn't like that.  
"What is your name, boy?" Karl asked.  
"Frederik Arnstone, si-"  
"NO, your name is Jackass the Jester!" Karl shouted." Enlighten us Jackass, what were you telling your friend?!"

"He said-" the friend with the scruffy brown hair and a comically large nose tried to say but was met with a cold glare from Karl.  
"I DO NOT REMEMBER ASKING YOU A GODS DAMNED THING!" Karl shouted. The weasely boy whimpered and looked down in fear. Karl snorted like a wild boar before he looked back to 'Jackass'." You were saying?"  
"I was telling a joke, sir…" Jackass said in between coughs." Would you like to hear it?"  
"That guy is so dead…" the man next to her said. He was tall, nearly as tall and muscle bound as Ser Karl was but slightly less tanned and with a black goatee.  
"He has courage, I give him that though…" Faith said, to which the large boy grunted in agreement.  
"Depends how funny it is." Karl glared.  
"You will love it, sir." Jackass smirked.  
"Let's hear it, OUT LOUD!"  
Jackass stood up straight. " What is red and goes up?!"  
"Fred, no…." the weasel urged.  
"Be quiet!" Karl glared." Tell me Jackass, what is red and goes up?!"  
"A tomato climbing up the stairs sir."

The entire barracks court fell silent as not one soul cracked a smile. Save one.  
"That is pretty funny." Karl smiled." Pretty damn funny."  
"Thank you sir." Jackass smiled in return. The smile faded when Karl began to grin.  
"You know what else is hilarious? You in three weeks when a spear is rammed through your ribs and you start to drown in your own blood, piss and shit in your pants and cry for your mother as a orc is ready to make your gaping eye sockets his woman. THAT IS HYSTERICAL!" Karl grabbed Jackass by his collar and dragged him out of formation and called a Pikeman over." Ten laps!"  
"Oh that's not to-"  
"Around the walls of the Hold!" Karl shouted. He looked back to the recruits in formation. His eyes fell on three other people." Weasel boy, girl and Farmer." He mentioned to the Weasely boy, Faith and the large boy stood next to her." You are going to keep him company!"  
"What?!" Faith exploded." What for, we didn't do anything?!"

The faces of everyone, even Jackass, paled when Karl stormed over to Faith.  
"You were speaking when Jackass was telling his joke, have you not understood how rude that is when people interrupt other people?! I DO NOT SPEAK SOLELY BECAUSE I LIKE TO HEAR THE SOUND IF MY OWN VOICE, MISS!" he drew his sword very fast, nearly a blur to her eyes, and slapped it on her thigh. She yelped in pain and surprise. " NOW GET YOUR ASSES IN GEAR AND RUN LIKE BALUR HIMSELF IS RIGHT BEHIND YOUR HEELS!" He slapped her and the large boy as they followed the other two outside the barracks courtyard. Faith saw the large boy glare at Karl but nonetheless followed them outside "MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT! IF I DON'T GET THOSE TEN LAPS YOU ARE OUT OF MY PIKEMEN! LADY KARLAND WANTS LIONS NOT CUBS!" he looked back to the others." AND THE REST OF YOU, TWENTY PUSH UPS!"  
Above them Oberon could not help but crack a smile.

The four began running laps around Karland Hold as the Pikemen behind them followed easily.  
"How the hell does he not get tired?" Jackass asked.  
"Probably because he isn't wasting his breath with bad jokes." The large boy replied.  
"It wasn't THAT bad a joke." Jackass replied." What do you think, Alfin was it?"  
"It was, Frederik." The weasel boy replied." It was really bad."  
" And there goes another betrayal, I wonder if there is enough room for more daggers you want to plant there Al." Frederik said.  
"We only talked once when I got drafted this morning, that doesn't make us friends." Alfin said.  
"You got drafted?" Faith asked." Why?"  
"I am of legal age now and since I don't have a job…I got enlisted." Alfin sighed." I begged my father to work in his butchers but he said it would make a man out of me."

"Doing a good job so far I see." Frederik chuckled. "So, who are my partners in crime? What are you in for?"  
"Not partners." The tall man glared." I volunteered for this."  
"You did?!" Frederik blinked." You must be dumber and slower than I expected."  
"Some of us believe in protecting our fellow man, Jackass." The large boy retorted.  
"I like that name now." Frederik smirked." Jackass it is. So tell us then, who are you Mr Knight in shining armour?" The large boy merely glared and kept running.  
"Suit yourself…and who might you be pretty lady?" Frederik smirked.  
"Faith." She replied.

"Faith, a beautiful name for a beautif-AW!" Frederik fell to the ground. The three others stopped.  
"You alright?" Alfin asked.  
"I think I twisted my ankle…" Frederik said as he held his ankle. Faith knelt down and rolled up the blonde boy's trouser leg a little to have a better look." But…I think a kiss from a pretty girl might make it all better." He wiggled his eyebrows. Faith merely looked at him with an odd look before standing up.  
"It looks pretty twisted…" the large boy said." Trust me, I've seen plenty of these as my father's farm when idiots come in during the summer to work for some extra money and think they can do anything."  
"I thought you looked familiar." Frederik said with a smirk.

"Urghm guys…" Alfin noticed." Where's the Pikeman?"  
"Balur's blood ..." the large boy cursed. "What are we going to do?"  
"We have to carry him back." Faith said." It's getting dark."  
"Wait, what?" the large boy shouted." I'm not carrying him!"  
"Why not?" Faith asked." He's not that bad."  
"He is." He replied." You see that horse on his cheek? That means he is a horse thief!"

"It's a birthmark." Frederik scoffed.  
"We are going to be in so much trouble…" Alfin whined.  
"Don't be an idiot, they brand people who get caught stealing. You tried to steal a horse! And to stay out of jail you had to join the pikemen!" The tall boy shouted.  
"If I get kicked out of the Pikeman ill be left on the street, or the dungeons or..or.." Alfin kept going.  
"Starting to regret that decision now…" Frederik replied.  
"We're going to go to jail for this…" Alfin kept whining.  
"Shut up!" The large boy growled.  
"Enough, all of you!" Faith glared." It doesn't matter who did what or what is going to happen. We're not leaving Jackass alone in the dark. What is your name?" she asked the big boy.

"Arnold." The large boy replied." My name is Arnold."  
"Arnold, I want you to hold him by his armpits while me and Alfin look for something to put his legs on." Faith said. "Question is what…"  
"Got something!" Alfin said and ran off. A moment later he returned as he held out a large stick." We can put his legs on this thing."  
"Good eye, Alvin!" Arnold said.  
"Loving the hygiene here." Frederik commented.  
"Its this or getting eaten by orcs outside, Jackass." Arnold frowned." Your choice."  
"In that case, sally forth!"  
"What about the laps?" Alvin asked.

The four recruits walked back to the barracks as the guards behind them closed the gate as the last of the travelers made it inside.  
"We are going to be in so much trouble…" Alfin started whining again.  
"At least we are inside, that is what matters." Faith said. As they walked toward the barracks her eyes went over the Temple where a small group of people were listening to a man in white as he spoke. "Weor, The Dreamer, God of Primordial Darkness, held the world up before him to Eir, Goddess of Light. As Weor slept, Eir sang unto to him the first of songs, and played upon her golden harp, Sun, and put light into Weor's dreams. Thus it is that all things dream of the First Song. Mara, Goddess of Primordial Shadow, held hands with Darkness and Light and bade them gaze upon her, and see in her themselves. Darkness and Light gazed upon Shadow and understood, and smiled, and were content. So it was in this time, all was one and the same - life and death; thing and spirit; thought and meaning; being and song. So it is sung of the Age of Harmony."  
"And so it is sung of the Age of Harmony." the crowd said in unison.

"We're nearing the Winter Solstice again." Arnold said as they passed by.  
"How do you mean?" Faith asked.  
"You are not from around here are you?" Arnold frowned slightly." In the weeks leading to the Winter Solstice the priests sing the Songs of the Ages. Today it's the Age of Harmony, tomorrow the Age of Darkness-"  
"Cheerful one that." Frederik jested which Arnold ignored and continued." And then the Age of Creation. And then they start singing all three songs again. One a day. "  
"I hope they do an ode to Lovar the mischievous, I like that guy," Frederik mused.  
"You would." Alfin replied." How are we going to explain losing the Pikeman to Ser Karl and not having even done half of our laps?"  
"I think Ser Karl will be more interested in the missing Pikeman then the laps." Faith replied as they turned the corner.

"Exactly, Recruit Faith."  
The group stopped and nearly dropped Frederik as Ser Karl and the missing Pikemen stood around the corner.  
"Ser Karl, let me explain-" Alvin began." Jackas-I mean Frederik fell and the Pikeman was gone. We-we didn't know what to do. So Faith said we had to go back even though we didn't do those twenty laps and…and…"  
"I take full responsibility." Faith said." I thought getting Frederik back was more important than the laps. If you want to kick someone out…kick me."  
"Really now?" Karl came closer." I thought your biggest wish was to join the Pikemen?"  
"There are other ways, Ser Karl." She replied." You said you wanted Lions. Lionesses hunt in packs, not alone. Losing one isn't to bad as long as the pack is around."

"If it wasn't for the pretty lady I would be gnawed on by orcs right now." Frederik said as he was placed in a stretcher." If she leaves, I leave. I heard jail food isn't to bad"  
"Same." Arnold said." She kept us together out there."  
Karl frowned as he watched the group before he stared at Alvin." And you weasel boy, what do you have to say?"  
Alvin nearly yelped out of fear but managed to compose himself, barely, and spoke." Same as they said, Ser…"  
"In that case…" Karl stepped closer to the group." …congratulations, you passed the test."  
"Test?" Arnold blinked.  
"We wanted to test your resourcefulness and quick thinking. A soldier is nothing without his wits and his comrades on the battlefield. I asked Recruit Jackass here to play the act of the horse thief and the wounded man routine. I didn't expect you to REALLY twist your ankle though." Karl frowned at Frederik.  
"It had to be convincing." Frederik smirked. " Besides I will get tended to by attractive healers and they will be in my presence. Win win for everyone."  
Karl shook his head." Get inside recruits, you may have won today but this is just the beginning."

"Yes sir." They all replied and slammed their fists into their hearts. Ser Karl and the Pikeman saluted them back and let them pass.  
"Quite a lucky group, Ser." The Pikeman said." Normally no group passes the test first time around."  
"They are son." Karl agreed." Let's hope that luck lasts."

TBC


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The wood in the fireplace sparked again but was paid no attention to by the four members of the Karland family in the family room. Lady Karland had rested her red manes upon her lover's lap as he strayed it absentmindedly while he read some ancient scroll. A young blonde girl with long golden hair was seated on her father's lap as he showed her the pictures in the book he was reading to her.  
"You see this picture?" the red haired man said to the todler as he pointed to the picture. Amelia smiled as she looked at the Knight who held the banner of the Lion as he charged with his lance toward a large gray creature that was three times the size of the Knight and his mount. It has horrible long tusks and was covered in strange tribal runes and bands as a sole barbarian was stood on it's back and cracked a whip while it pointed at the oncoming knight.

"Many years ago, Emperor Bernhard the Elder was at war with the Eastern Tribes." Her father said.  
"Gerart…" Katarina sighed." She heard the story a thousand times."  
"We heard the story a thousand times…" Thorvik kept straying his lover's hair as he read.  
"It's a good story and it shows where we Karlands came from." Gerart replied before he pecked his girl on the cheek." Don't listen to your Aunt and uncle, they are silly buggers." The toddler giggled as his big red beard tickled her cheek. "Want to hear the story?"  
The little girl smiled and gave a series of nods as she snuggled closer to her father.  
"As I was saying. The Emperor was fighting a long war with the barbarians to the East and he called the Lords and ladies over the WHOLE Empire to defend its border against the savage invader."  
"Is Uncle Karl an savage intruder?" she asked.

Katarina snorted as Thovik could not help stopping a small smile.  
"Only in the kitchens , sweety." Her father blushed." No this was many years ago before Ser Karl was born. Back then our people fought against each other instead of the orcs."  
"Why?" Amelia asked.  
"Nobody knows, the war raged for decades when Emperor Bernhard was the younger still and caused a lot of destruction in the realm. The only way the war could be stopped was to kill the Chieftain of the united tribes, the Warchief they called him. Your great-great-great-great-grandfather-" he pointed to the knight." Was just a simple knight called to fight in the war. He was there that day in the Madlaugh forest where the final battle took place."

He flipped over a page in the storybook much to his daughter's glee. This time the knight was stood on a hill of dead savages as he fought off those who climbed on their dead brothers." Your ancestor, Ser Thorrus of Karl, was part of the cavalry forces that suffered heavy casualties that day. While the Emperor's Fifth Legion moved into position, men like your father fought the Barbarians as long as they could to give them time. Of the hundreds of knights that rode with Thorrus, only a dozen remained when the knights fought them to a standstill. Legends say Thorrus' battlecry was so loud it sounded like a roar of a great maned beast only heard and seen in the wild easts. His arms and sword were like a part of himself much like the feline predator even the Barbarians feared."

"A LION!" Amelia shouted with glee.  
"Yes my girl, a Lion." He smiled." When the Imperial forces rallied, the van ( that is the center) rallied around Thorrus of Karl and charged into battle one last time."  
"Not what happened…" Thorvik mumbled under his breath but Lady Karland quickly shushed him with a finger on his lips.  
"There your grandfather fought with the Great Chieftain Khalik-ha who was called the Yellow Lion of the East. He was one of the Warchief's many brothers, but he was a warrior in his own right and the commander of the- "  
"Why?" Amelia asked.  
"Why what?"  
"Why was he called the Yellow Lion? Was he yellow like me?"  
"Maybe." Gerart replied." But that-"  
"Does that mean I'm a savage invader to like Uncle Karl?"  
"No, you are not a savage invader sweety…" he rolled his eyes.  
"But if he is yellow, he can be like me to."  
Gerart looked confused." What are you-"  
"I wanna be an savage invader to! Rargh, I'm a savage invader!" she extended her arms and attempted to roar.  
"Your propaganda is failing, Lord Gerart." Thorvik smirked.  
"Shouldn't you be trying to translate a scroll of how to make better in door plumbing?" The heir of Karland Hold frowned before he focused on his daughter. " You want me to tell the story or not?" The toddler placed both her hands on her mouth and nodded fervently. Gerart smiled and flipped another page. " Thorrus of Karl was in a deadly duel with a large eastern man whose fur cloak was completely yellow. Armour vs leather, sword against wooden bucker, shield against a large war axe. The tide of battle went from one side to the next. Both combatants were always matched. Do you know who won?"  
"Nobody won!" Amelia remembered.

"That's right, the Warchief was killed by the Fifth Legion and the Eastern Hordes surrendered. Khalik-ha was SO impressed by Thorrus he gave him his flag. But because there was SO much smoke and fire in the forest, the yellow lion turned black. When Thorrus was made a true Lord of the realm he chose to have the Black Lion as his sigil and we have been good friends with the Nomadic tribes ever since."  
Amelia cheered.  
"Right, enough now." Gerart said as he closed the book." Bed now."  
Amelia frowned and moaned." I'm not tired…."  
"Yes you are." Gerart said and pulled her little pointy ears a little." I can tell because your ears are floppy."  
"They always floppy!" she countered and jumped off her father's lap and ran around in circles." I'm gonna be a savage invader and a lion and go raaarg!" she shouted.

"Well done, little brother." Katarina said as she slowly sat up." You have done the complete opposite of what you were supposed to do."  
"Oh shush." Gerart said and stood up." Come on Amelia, you have to go to bed or else the Piper will come and take you in the night and turn you into an orc."  
"Nooooooo!" Amelia groaned." I don't wanna be an orc…"  
With a chuckle Gerart Karland picked up his half-elven child and took her to bed.

As he tucked her in, he placed a small fluffy toy bear with her." Ser Bear will protect you from Balur."  
"Why?" she asked as she felt her eyelids become heavier.  
"Because that is his oath. He's been a Ser in this household for many years." He placed the bear near his daughter." Some say he was an squire to Ser Thorrus himself."  
"Don't be silly, daddy." Amelia yawned. Gerart smiled as he strayed her cheek before he kissed his daughter's forehead." Night, my little flower. May Eir guide you to morning." Her little chest moved upward and downward as she snored softly. The red bearded man smiled at his child before he slowly crept out of her nursery and back to the family room. For that moment, he felt like the luckiest man in the world. That was until he returned to the family room and saw a guest was there when he left. He looked to his sister and her lover as both their faces were a lot paler then before.

"Grand Marshal Hadgar." Gerart walked over.  
"My lord." The dwarf bowed his head." I have grave news."  
"Another village has fallen." Katarina said." Mordfell to the North."  
"Our sapphire mine?" Gerart asked." But how? It was more heavily defended then Vestig and its been barely a fortnight since then."  
"I don't know, just one of the Lionesses made it back and she died a few moments later." Hadgar replied." She said they were killing the everyone except women and young girls. The gods know what the Orcs are doing to 'em…"  
"Eir guide us…." Gerart prayed.  
"But we got news…before sunset our boys at the Nest found an Orc Encampment where they believe the orcs are hiding. Chances are if there are any survivors of Vestig or Mordfell …they would be there."  
"We will gather the troops then." Katarina said." Rally the Pikemen, the Knights and the dwarven warriors. We're going to march there at noon tomorrow."  
"Ka-I mean Lady Karland." Thorrvik interjected.  
"Thorvik, I am going." She frowned.  
The scribe choked but slowly nodded his head." Very well my lady…but I fear your forces may not be enough. We may have to use more additional forces."

Gerart knew what the Scribe was speaking of and prayed his sister would go against such an desperate measure.  
"The Wraiths?" she said.  
"The Wraiths." Her lover agreed." We have many proud warriors that served our House and the Houses of our allies in the past. We ask shades to scout for us, why not ask the Wraith's to lend their swords to our cause?"  
"By Bran's anvil, are you mad boy?!" Hadgar's face went red." You are talking about the living dead! Ghosts! Creatures who do not follow eat or sleep and are solely focused on fulfilling the duty they couldn't fulfill in life! The men will shit their trousers if they would have to fight side by side with those…things and wonder who the fight, them or the Orcs. Why not the Golems, they fight well!"  
"Not in the open, Hadgar." Thorvik said.  
"But they will listen to orders! Who knows what the Wraiths will do. Maybe they will turn on us and-"  
"They will fight whom I will tell whom to fight." Katarina glared." Both the men and the Wraiths. Very Well Thorrvik, we will summon the Wraiths and march with their aid toward battle. You will begin the ritual in the morning."

"Sister." Gerart interjected. He was maybe the younger of the two of them, but he was still a Lord of Karland Hold. His voice had to be heard." These attacks and the reports of the bat creatures indicate something larger is going on and it will take weeks before the Citadel would even send a token force to investigate the orc infestation. We must call for aid."  
"Who?" she asked. " The Gigant tribe passed through our lands over a month ago and their last caravan left days ago. They will be leagues away from now and we both know we don't want Ravenwood near us for obvious reasons."  
"House Willberg is close to our own borders and soon will face the same problems we do."  
"You want to ask the Spiders for help?!" Katarina shouted on the top of her lungs." Have you forgotten what they did to us?!"  
"You don't mind using Golems, Shades and Wraiths but asking our FORMER enemy for help is to much to ask?!" Gerart shouted." Jean Willberg is a good man, way better than his father and grandfather were!"  
"He is a Spider and cannot be trusted. End of discussion Gerart." Katarina glared before she moved to Hadgar." Go to the Shade Pavilion and tell them to send a runner to the Gigant tribe. They owe us a debt and they sure as hell will come deliver."  
The dwarf saluted the Lady of Karland Hold by slamming his clenched fist on his chest before he walked off. Katarina stormed off to her room.

"Gods damn that woman sometimes…" Gerart cursed.  
"I know." Thorrvik agreed." But its her choice."  
"A choice that may cost many lives." Lord Karland clenched his fist." There has to be something I can do."  
"You can, Gerart." Thorvik said." When Katarina is not here, you are in charge of Karland Hold. You have to do what you think is best for your people and your family."  
Gerart frowned at the Scribe." What are-"  
"I need to go, your sister may wish to have words with me on the specifics of the ritual." Thorvik bowed quickly before he followed Lady Karland to her chamber.

Gerart watched the purple robed young man go and groaned inwardly. He was grateful his sister actually found someone and most of the time Thorvik was a good influence on her and vice versa but he knew very well that a Scribe was not allowed to wed a Lord or a Lady. Their relationship and love making was known throughout the keep and soon enough the entire Hold. Although not taboo it was likely any children born from their coupling would be deemed bastards and illegitimate which left Gerart as heir to Karland Hold. Which also meant Amelia was not a true heir either. Not due to her mother's elven heritage but simply because he and Amelia's mother were not wed officially. If House Karland had to survive he would have to marry since Katarina'sstance on wedding a Lord terrified her the same way him marrying a lady terrified him. Only strong people of will could tame a Lion, mostly break. He shook his head clear. That wasn't the real problem. The Orcs and other Shadowspawn always struck out without thought or provocation, especially in these parts of the former Empire. For them to attack villages in between longer periods of time and cull its residents meant there were leaders involved. Smart ones. That thought scared him.  
The younger brother rubbed his beard before he turned to his own bed. When he opened the door however he noticed Amelia was stood behind it, her weary green eyes looking back at his as Ser Bear was dragged along..  
"What are you doing up, sweety?" Gerart's worries melted away as he picked up his daughter." What are you doing out of bed?"  
"I saw the ghost again." She rubbed her eyes tiredly." She was eavesdropping…" she pointed her little fingers to an suit of armour.  
"Did she now?" he looked back at the suit of armour and chuckled. "Come on, lets get you to bed."  
"I saw her daddy…"  
"Sweety, you know there is no such thing as ghosts…" he felt the sharp irony like a dagger across his finger.

* * *

The 'ghost' peeked outside of the suit of armour as the two Karlands left. The little girl waved tiredly as she was carried off. Faith could not help but smile and wave back before she flew away. She learned to bypass Lady Katarina Karland's bedroom at nights. She had seen enough the first time she entered the castle and even in this dream she could hear things she didn't need to hear. She flew outside the castle and followed Ser Hadgar to an tent outside of the Hold's walls. It was a dark tent covered with blue light giving stones and two guardsmen. Both saluted the dwarf and stepped aside so he could enter. Faith watched before she decided to fly closer and enter the tent. It felt like she ran into a wall made out of sharp bricks. She shook her head to douse the pain. That was the second time she felt pain in the dream state and the first time it was because of the red bat creature. She looked above to see if one of those creatures was there, but found none.

She tried to enter the tent again but felt the same wall in front of her.  
"Ssssstop…" a dry, cold voice said. Her eyes turned to an man covered in black leather and a dark hood. She saw nothing of the man's features except his two red eyes. A silent one, Faith thought, a Shade. Her eyes went wide. It could see her to!  
"Dreamwalkerrr…." The shade said." You stumble around in the dark, making noisssse…."  
She shook her head and tried to fly away. But the Shade was already there, his dagger aimed at her throat. It seemed to inspect her, looking up and down. Now it's eyes were going wide and he knelt down." Forgivenesss, I did not know…"  
Faith didn't know what to say but a part of her knew how to handle the situation. "Rise, brave shadow warrior and do your duty." Her voice sounded more deep in the dream state, was that normal.  
"Of course and thank you…" the shade bowed and saluted her by slamming his fist on his chest. He ran off as if the wind carried him and soon enough even Faith couldn't see him.  
She sighed relieved and flew back to the barracks. She phased through the kitchen wall and quickly had to cover her eyes. _Frederik had his trousers down as he was making love to the dwarven kitchen maid on the meat chopping table. She heard the woman whimper submissively as the former horse thief made her his own and soon enough joined her cries with his own as he raced past the finnish line. _Faith quickly left the room and cursed her friend for scaring her like that. And for ruining every meat dish in the foreseeable future. She flew back to her own body and slipped back inside which woke her up. She sat up a little to see how Arnold and Alfin were and was glad both were still in their cots. She let her head fall back on her pillow and waited to sleep, to really dream. But she she wouldn't fall asleep that easily. She knew for certain battle was coming and blood would be spilled. Orc blood. She could hardly wait.

TBC


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The sun came up to early for the Lady of Karland Hold and unlike any servant she could not order it away. She wished for another hour of sleep, another hour to attempt to go to sleep. Outside of a nightmare now and then the previous night was horrible. She was never this nervous before a battle before, so why now? Was it because of him?  
She turned her head to the head of ruffled brown hair laying next to her, his arms around her waist as he snored softly. Thorvik the Scribe, probably the only man below his station with enough courage to speak his mind to her and also the man she fell in love with. She had others before him sure but none lasted. The strong knights and soldiers were to rough for her tastes and the foreign diplomats and traders to soft. Seeing other Lords meant marriage and she didn't dare degrade herself to the peasants. Thorvik was different though, he seemed to be there for her when ruling was becoming to much. Tea for waking up, a warm blanket over her if she fell asleep over her books and a listening ear.  
It wasn't a physical thing anymore, although she enjoyed the later quite a lot, and that was the problem. She was higher than him. The Guild of scribes in Stormfall frown on marriage and if they were to have children they would be deemed bastards.

She snapped back to the problem at hand. The Orcs had to be destroyed. Two villages were burned down by the monsters and left no survivors in their wake. If she struck the Orcs hard in one fell swoop that would mean the end of the Orcs for at least a few decades. She fought Orcs before alongside her father when she was younger. She did not fear the Greenskins nor their evil brethren. For Gerart's juvenile version of the origin of House Karland he told the previous night, the blood of Ser Thorrus of Karl ran through her veins as did the dwarven blood of her grandmother's. In the stories the Orcs were terrifying creatures that no-one could hope to stop save a hero or a god. When she was younger she believed that until at age fifteen when she rammed her lance through an Ogre's spine and hacked an Orc to pieces with her sword. Katarina clenched her fist, she would kill them now as well.

"You awake…?" Thorvik yawned as he opened his eyes.  
"I have been for a while." Katarina replied." Didn't sleep to well, nightmares."  
"I noticed last night…" he said as he withdrew his arms from around her waist as he slowly sat up." You kept tossing and turning. Is something on your mind, love?"  
"You didn't check if I was alright?" she frowned.  
"Balur's balls, Kat…you floored me last night Kart. Your 'pre-battle ritual' drained everything out of me let alone stay conscious for most of the night." he rubbed his eyes." You alright?"  
"You never complained before."  
"You were never so rough on me before, I can already see the bruises." Now he frowned." And stop changing the subject."  
"I'm not changing the subject." she crossed her arms." And don't forget your place, Scribe."  
Thorvik rubbed his temples as he tried to gather his thoughts, he never was a morning person. A thing they both shared." Is it the Orc thing?"

Katarina shifted uncomfortably before she gave a nod." A little."  
"You can still call it off-" he said but she glared him down with her ferocious green eyes.  
"And be called a coward by our neighbours? Let more of our villages get put to the torch without any retribution? No, we burn their whole camp down and kill every last single of those bastards."  
"Then what bothers you?" the scribe asked." The Wraith's? Using the newly trained Pikemen? The fact the Orcs seem to take women with them? Faith?"  
"Faith…" she remembered that name all to clearly." I kept my eye on her. Karlag told me she was one of his best recruits." She took some of her blanket and wrapped it around her and stepped to the small window which overlooked the whole of the Hold below. Her jade eyes went to the barracks where she saw the recruits being trained." Nearly an expert with a spear and she's barely been using it for a week." She listed his report." She has the skills of a leader and a warrior. An asset to my Pikemen."  
"You don't trust her." Thorvik slipped his trousers on.

"She was the sole survivor of Vestig, me and Oberon found her in the forest, she enlisted and excelled as a soldier. She insulted me and both you and Oberon persuaded me to keep her. What if Bhalur send one of his…demon women to infiltrate us in the guise of a young blonde woman?"  
"She is not a spy, Kat. She's a driven young woman who wants to stop the Orcs just as much as you do." The scribe walked behind her and held her hips as he placed his head on her shoulder. " I'm an excellent judge of character."  
She shrugged and kept her eye on the barracks as she tried to find the blonde haired girl.  
"I think you don't like her because you two are a lot alike."  
Katarina frowned." Be very careful what you say next, Scribe or you will be sleeping in the House of Scrolls again."  
Thorvik went on as if he did not hear anything." You are both headstrong, brave, willing to lead others, coolheaded when it's needed and ferocious when the situation calls for it…the only difference being." he kissed her neck." You are much prettier."  
Katarina smiled as held his chin with her hand and turned his head so she could kiss him deeply." Don't get to cocky, Scribe." She smirked." Your tongue might get you in trouble."  
"I'm sure my tongue can also get me out of them as well." _He grinned in return and kissed her before he slipped under her blanket and put his tongue to another use. Katarina leaned with one hand on the wall while another clenched her lover's hair as her blanket fell to the ground. She enjoyed the last few moments she had with him before the day started. HER day._

* * *

Alfin jabbed Arnold's arm before he pointed across the barracks." Guys look, it's the Imperial Paladins!"  
Faith looked up from whetting her spear as Alfin motioned to the newcomers. The Holy Paladins of Stormfall. They were fifty in total but the tales said fifty Paladins were equal to two hundred normal ranking soldiers. They held their shields in front and their swords at their side. They were completely encased in armour which was richly decorated with several symbols made out of gold, the most eyecatching one being the bird in the middle with it's wings stretched out. "That is the sigil of Lord Oberon son of Veyon, Scion of the Firstborn and Lord Regent of Stormfall!" Jennifer said with glee. Jennifer was a small and timid girl with red cheeks and short black hair. Before she enlisted she went to the House of Scrolls a lot to read of the heroes of old which inspired her to enlist in the Pikemen.  
"Records say that they can cross leagues as they march through the night without stopping for water or food!"  
"Balur's balls…" Frederik groaned." They are just soldiers like you and me who mumbled some words in some temple at the Citadel and got fancy armour for it."  
"I sure wish I had fancy armour…" Arnold said as Alfin closed the armour up behind him." Then again I heard they took a vow of Poverty."  
"What's the point of money if you are giving everything for free?" Frederik shrugged." Besides its only fifty of them. No way they will factor into anything except playing bodyguard to the Regent Lord who will be sat having tea with the other Lords while we get stabbed to death."

"His name is Oberon." Faith said." And he is no coward."  
"How do you know that?" Alfin asked.  
"Because I know him." She replied. The others looked at her oddly before they burst into laughter save for Arnold. Arnold never made jokes at her expense. He even sounded nervous when he offered to close her armour up behind her. He was a kind friend, Faith thought, but very strange at times.  
"YOU know Oberon?!" Jennifer snorted." The man who is pretty much holding this crumbling Empire together and one of the greatest fighters in Darkshine…knows you?"  
"I got to admit Faith…" Arnold said." That is hard to believe."  
"Believe me or don't, the choice is yours." She shrugged and returned to sharpening her spear. The group kept chuckling but stopped shortly afterward. She heard heavy footsteps coming near them. When she looked up she stared at her own reflection. It took her a moment to realize that it was the armour of one of the Paladins which reflected off the early sun.  
"Recruit Faith?" the Paladin asked.  
"Yes?" Faith raised her brow.  
"I am Marcus of the Imperial Legion. The Regent Lord requested to speak to you."

The group around her all turned pale in shock and surprise at the mention of Lord Oberon. Faith casually picked up her pike and held it out to Arnold." Can you hold this please, Arnold?"  
The tall boy barely managed to nod and hold the pike as she followed Marcus out of the barracks.  
"Wow…" Frederik said when she was out of earshot." Your girlfriend is friends with the Regent Lord."  
"Shut up, Jackass…" Arnold replied and went back to checking his gear.

Faith followed the silent Marcus out of the barracks toward the assembly area. She saw Thorvik near the temple as he spoke to the red bearded man she saw before in her dreamstate. Thorvik seemed to have seen her and gave her a smile and a nod before he continued to discuss with Lord Karland.  
"You have friends in powerful places, Recruit Faith." Marcus said.  
"Call me Faith." She said. "And I only spoke to Thorvik once urghm…." Faith tried to find a proper title.  
"Marcus will do fine." The Paladin replied." We also took the vow of humility."  
"Must be hard being humble all the time." Faith replied.  
" That one is alright but the chastity one is quite annoying. So many virgins to save and no appropriate reward."  
Faith stared at the Paladin until he laughed which echoed in his suit of armour. "Merely jesting, Faith."  
"I didn't know your order was this humorous." She smiled.  
"The Regent Lord's choice that. Being heroic and stoic is nice and all but we connect with the people more if we are more approachable."  
"My friend Jennifer thinks you are gods." She looked at the assembling pikemen from other regiments as they walked past. Husbands bid goodby to their wives and children, sons to mothers, brother to brother and young lovers as well. A group of dwarves also rallied nearby and she saw Hadgar talking to another dwarf who looked a fair bit younger. It sounded like they were arguing but she couldn't understand dwarven tongue.

"Yes, we're working on that." Marcus replied which snapped faith back to the conversation." Derrick is sewing a large banner with big letters saying 'We are nice people, come talk to us.' Needless to say Derrick is not good at sewing so it might take a while."  
Faith could not contain a chuckle." The Orcs must love your sense of humour."  
"Laughter kills them alright, either by being immobilized by laughter or dying of Good feelings. Either way is good." Marcus said as he led her to a white pavilion. He opened the flap." My Lord, I have Recruit Faith with me."  
"Send her in Marcus." Oberon replied. Marcus held open the flap and bowed his head as she entered before he left.

When Faith came into the tent, she saw numerous maps scattered about as well as several chess pieces placed on the map. A battle plan. The older man, still in his armour, smiled as he stood up and walked over and held her.  
"Oberon." She smiled and held him as he held her.  
"Faith my girl, good to see you." He smiled and stepped back as he looked her up and down." Look at you, a Pikeman in less then a week no less."  
"Ser Karl was not impressed." Faith said." He said we were not ready and he hated to be left here to defend the hold from a possible attack. We had to run fourty laps around the barracks before breakfast..."  
"My old man had a saying." Oberon said." You can train all you want on the court yard, but all of it comes down on the battlefield." He sighed though." But he has a point. No offense Faith but one week of training does not prepare you for the horrors of war. And the Eastern Tribesmen do not like being left out of things."  
"I'm ready for combat, as are my friends." Faith replied." We will kill many Orcs and avenge Vestig."  
"Remember your training and stay close to your friends. Watch each other's back and you will make it out." Oberon said." Trust me, I got experience in that."  
Faith smiled." I will….but I have the feeling you didn't call me for that."

Oberon shook his head. "No I didn't." he called her over to the map." Early this morning, one of my Silent Ones came back from Sunny Hills, the location of the Orc camp." Faith shivered at the mention of the shade scouts. Last night's experience was still fresh in her mind." He said he saw prisoners in the camp. Villagers."  
Faith's eyes went wide open at the revelation." My family?!"  
"Maybe, I don't know. Point is next to an extermination mission this has also become a rescue operation. The main forces will keep the Orcs occupied while me and the Paladins cut our way through them and save the villagers before retreating. Ser Thomas and Ser Hadhod will lead your men and the dwarves respectively, one holding each flank." He motioned to the map."  
That means I will not be able to protect you during the battle."  
"I'll be fine Oberon. The people take priory over everything." She clenched her fist and slammed it on her chest." We are Karland. Fear our Roar."  
"You even say the Karland words." Oberon chuckled but returned the salute." Alright…but the moment things head south promise me you will run to the Keep."  
Faith frowned." You do not believe we will win?"  
"My girl…in my day I have seen many carefully laid out plans gone to the pot faster than a halfling could eat a shepard's pie. I'm saying it's best to keep an escape route ready."

Faith was going to ask something but noticed the sky turned dark outside. She went outside alongside Oberon and saw with horror what Thorvik was doing. He held his arms wide into the sky as he shouted a an ancient sounding tongue. Lady Karland, Ser Thomas and Hadgar were stood beside him as none of them moved to stop him. Before she could ask what was going on, green lightning struck the cemetery in front of them which held the crypts and tombs of past members of House Karland and their Champions. A eerie whine went through the Hold as armoured skeletal warriors appeared en masse in the cemetery before they marched to Thorvik. The Scribe moved aside as the skeletal warriors stood in formation in front of Lady Karland and all bend the knee save one.  
"Lord Harren Karland at your service." One of them said and saluted Lady Karland by slamming his hand on his armoured chest.  
"Hello Grandfather." Katarina replied." It's time we put you to rest."

TBC


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As the sun's midday rays illuminated Darkshine, the armed forces of the Karland Lion marched out of the hold as it's citizens cheered for their heroes and prayed to Weor for the return of their loved ones. Alfin's family was there as well. He waved at a plump man who smiled proudly at him. His father no doubt, Faith thought. She made a silent promise to the man his son would not come back a dead hero.  
Lady Katarina Karland and her Lionesses were at the head of the army, followed by a small group of twenty skeletal warriors. After them, at a safe distance, were the rest of the armed forces.  
Lord Oberon rode alongside Lady Karland but his bodyguard were the only ones brave enough to march behind their undead allies. Very surprising, Faith thought, since she thought Paladins hated the undead. Her mind went to Marcus and his dry humour. She never saw his face but she hoped he would survive the battle.  
Behind the Paladins the rest of the army marched. Pikemen and Archers under command of Ser Thomas and the dwarven forces under Ser Hadgar. She did not hear much laughter from the dwarven ranks she noticed. Which was surprising since the Hadgar she knew was a man who loved his own laugh.

"The dwarves have their own superstitions concerning combat above ground." Oberon said as he threw an offering in the bonfire before the Temple of War." They believe celebrating before a battle will bring bad luck. Do not fret, you will hear him laughing again when it is all over." He motioned Faith forward. She followed Oberon's advice and threw a piece of bread into the fire.  
"You know that before Weor there was another god of war called Ran." Oberon said." It is said when he died on the Day of the Eclipse his blood ran deep into the earth, which turned to what we know today as ore." He pointed to her pike." It is believed that when we use our weapons to strike at Balur's hordes, we rejoin him into the fray."  
"Then it is best I do not let him down." Faith smiled. Oberon returned the smile and held her one last time." May Eir's light guide you, my girl."  
"And you." she said a hour ago.

The dwarves were in back of the army while the human infantry held the center. The Pikemen had the largest number of the three thousand and five hundred men that rode out. Over two thousand men were Pikemen, five hundred were archers, three hundred riders which all served as part of the Lionesses or scouts, four hundred dwarven warriors equipped with axes, shields and siege weapons, fifty Imperial Paladins and of course the Wraith's. Several Silent Ones were scouting ahead as well but none knew the exact number for those nor would they actually participate in the upcoming battle.  
The location would be the hillside called Sunny Hills, a small place not worthy of any note save that the orcs recently bild a camp there.

"Wish it was Ser Karl that came with us…" Alfin complained." We at least trained with him."  
"You heard Lady Karland." Arnold said." Karland Hold must not be left defenseless and putting all of your eggs in one basket is never a good idea."  
"That another one of your farmer sayings?" Alfin smiled a little.  
"Might be if it's catchy enough." Arnold returned the gesture.  
"Stop worrying!" Jennifer joined in." We're trained very well and we have House Karland's greatest heroes with us AND the Paladins. This is the stuff of legends!"  
"You seem very excited there, Jen." Frederik raised his brow." Very much unlike the shy and timid person who we didn't notice sat with us until you corrected me on something banal."  
"Lady Dalia's household is not banal at all!" Jennifer sounded shocked." Her Household has merged with ours and it's because of House Antorich we have dwarves aiding us. You also forget Lady Karland has dwarven blood in her!"  
"Yet she is taller than Arnold." He smirked.

"It explains the red hair though." Alfin said." I heard red hair is a dwarven thing."  
"Where did you hear that rubbish?" Jennifer rolled her eyes." I swear it's like none of you were schooled at all."  
"I wasn't." Arnold said but didn't sound to offended." I know how to read, write and count though."  
"Well…alright you are excused then, especially because your farm is outside of the walls to." Jennifer said but a blush was clearly seen over her cheeks.  
"Balur's balls…are we there yet?" Frederik sounded agitated.  
"We barely left fifteen minutes ago." Faith frowned slightly." You nervous?"  
"Yes!" he exclaimed." We are going against the Children of Balur themselves! Monsters that have been around for thousands of years! Our parents used them to scare us when we were children for a reason. They. Are. Scary. Green skinned monsters with dark armour and swords, hulking Ogres that are twice Arnold's size AND I heard tales they ride wolves!"  
"Only on the Eastern side of the Empire." Jennifer said." There aren't enough Wargs here for them to tame here."  
"Still, there were rumours Marennon flew around the hold at night." Frederik said." The guards shoot them down and drag them away before a panic could start."  
"Who told you this?" Alfin asked.  
"Darci the baker." Frederik replied with a smirk on his face." Her brother is part of the Watch and told her he saw one of them, even helped push it in the Castle's furnace."  
"You lie." Alfin exclaimed.  
"That's what Darci said." Frederik shrugged." And the times I saw her brother he was a little on edge."

"That's a load of rubbish." Arnold grunted." What do you think, Faith?"  
"He may have a point." Faith said." Marennon are used by the Black Horde as spies, Ser Karl and even you said as much Jen."  
"Right…" Jennifer agreed.  
"So it's best we expect the unexpected and sometimes glance toward the sky once in a while. Just to be on the safe side."  
"Agreed." Arnold smiled.  
"You would agree." Alfin rolled his eyes.  
"What is that supposed to mean?" the large boy frowned at his weasely friend.  
"N-nothing." Alfin whimpered and hid behind his pike.  
"Oh you know what it means." Frederik smirked and walked beside the large boy." Truth be told I think Faith deserves someone with a bit more class." Faith raised her brow confused. Jennifer walked beside her as Arnold and Frederik bickered.  
"Boys, eh?" Jennifer chuckled. Faith smiled in return and talked to her for a moment. She found Jennifer's knowledge on Balur and the history of House Karland interesting. Besides she was the other girl in the group and she felt like she could talk to normally instead of getting a blushed face, a flirt or a whimper in return. "By the way how do you know Lord Oberon?"

Oberon's words ran through her mind. _You can train all you want on the court yard, but all of it comes down on the battlefield. _"He found me outside of Vestig and persuaded Lady Karland to enlist me in the Pikemen. I owe him my life." And advice, she thought.  
"Why did he call you over?" Alfin asked.  
"To make sure I was alright and ready." Faith replied. _One week of training does not prepare you for the horrors of war_. " I could've asked him to drop out…" Faith smirked a little." But I said all of you would be worthless without me."  
"Oh, harsh.." Frederick chuckled." And here thought I had you wrapped around my finger."  
"With all the girls I've seen or heard you with, I'm surprised you have fingers left." Alfin said.  
"Oh I know, it is hard being me." Frederick sighed resigned." But someone has to do it."  
Jennifer pulled Faith close. "Personally I'm waiting for the healers to start giving him salves for 'delicate' problems." She grinned.  
"I'm not so sure about that." Faith returned the grin." From what I heard, his famous stamina is just as worthwhile as a limp horse."  
Both girls glanced at their friend before laughing at his expense, much to his embarresment.

"What's so funny here?" a dwarf ran up behind them to catch up. At a first eyeshot Faith presumed she saw Hadgar that run to them. However this was not the Grand Marhsall himself lest he became a lot younger in the span of thirty minutes. He was slightly taller than a normal dwarf and his beard was trimmed to his chin rather than to his chest like other dwarves. " You mind if I march with you for a while, the grim march at my ranks is getting on my nerves."  
"Sure." Arnold smiled.  
"As long as you pay the toll." Frederick added smugly.  
"Ah, Jackarse right?" the dwarf took out his flask and tossed it over to the youth." I heard a lot about you, none of it good. You better pray to your gods you wont be having bastards in nine months time or your bitts fall off."  
"I'm praying to them for my life first of all today," Frederik took a swig." And I think it's Jackass."  
"Whatever." the dwarf shook his head.

"Don't mind him." Arnold smiled and offered his hand which the dwarf shook gladly." Arnold."  
"Hadhod, son of Hadgar." The dwarf smiled. Faith thought he recognized him before. He lacked Hadgar's scar and crackled face but his warm smile defiantly reminded her of his father. As the others introduced themselves, Hadhod gladly took some of Jenifer's rations as he joined in the conversation about the upcoming battle. It did not take long before the fabled dwarven humility showed itself.  
"Our ballista's can pierce through the skin of any Dragon and turn Ogres into mush."Hadhod assured." Just worry if there will be plenty of Orcs for you to kill."  
"I heard many great things of dwarven ballista's, I'm excited to see them up close!" Jennifer smiled with glee.  
"You do realize we are going to war, right?" Alfin frowned.  
"As long as we stay together and remember Ser Karl's training, we'll be fine." Arnold said.  
"Agreed." Faith nodded and had to restrain herself from punching Arnold as he blushed a little.

A hour later the forces came to an abrupt hold. Ser Thomas rode past on his horse and began shouting orders. " Men, in formation! Pikes in front, archers in back! Come on you gents i want to be back home before dinner!"  
The army was stood on a hill which looked down upon the crude encampment below. Faith peered through her visor and made out small dots running around. The ballista's got into position slightly above them as the archers took their position slightly below them. The Pikemen got into formation to protect the artillery from a frontal assault. She saw Lady Karland assemble her riders. Briefly Lord Oberon came into view who dismounted from his horse and joined with the Paladins.  
Save for the commanders shouting orders, everything was dead quiet. She looked to her friends and saw each prepare in their own way. Arnold frowned at the orcs down below and held his pike with a firm grip. Frederik held his pike to but his eyes darted all over the place as if he tried to find a way out and rubbed both the daggers on his side absentmindedly. Alfin was mumbling incoherently but she caught the name of a few gods. Jennifer already stood ready as she was anticipating combat. The optimism and good cheer were gone now as they were replaced by focus. Faith closed her eyes before she followed Jennifer's example. She waited for this moment for a week now. And now she had it. Revenge would be hers.

"Men!" Lady Katarina shouted as she rode past the battle line." Hear me, men! Hear me, Lions of Karland!" The men looked up to her. " Down below the servants of Balur await us! No doubt they heard us coming and are now running scared. They aren't facing defenseless villagers anymore or a few frightened guards! They did not expect that we would come after them! To drag them out of their holes and butcher them like cattle! To save our people from their clutches and show to all of Darkshine that we are not to be trifled with!" she rode past Faith and did not offer a glance." Arise you Lions, arise!" he drew her sword and held it high." WE ARE KARLAND-!"  
"FEAR OUR ROAR!" The men shouted in return.

Katarina raised her sword high before she threw it in a downward arc. The Ballista's behind her opened fire as flaming bolts the size of tree trunks flew to the orc camp below. The bolts punched through the Camp's walls and created a lot of smoke. Like ants from a burning anthill, the orcs spilled out of the camp. Part of the plan, Faith thought.  
"Lionesses with me!" Katarina called for her knights." Charge! For Vergen and Mordfell!"  
"Paladins and Wraiths with me!" she heard Oberon's voice." For Stormfall!"  
Lady Karland and her Lionesses charged forward and cut a swath through the panicking orcs as Lord Oberon's troops followed behind her. They would fight their way to the surviving villagers and run with them to the Hold. She prayed to Eir that she would keep them and Lord Oberon out of Orcish hands. Ser Thomas' and Hadgar's job consisted of keeping the orcs' attention fixed on the army on the hill. The Orcs would break before their pikes and when they ran away like the cowards they were be stomped down by the Lionesses.  
The archers had begun firing on the Orcs below when both the Lionesses and the Paladins were out of their range. The Orcs died in droves but still a tide of darkness rushed for them up the hills.  
"Pikemen!" Ser Thomas shouted." Stand your ground!"

"Warriors keep your axes ready and fill any gaps!" Hadgar shouted.  
"Well, here they come…" Frederik held his pike out with the others." The one with the least kills buys the other a pint?"  
"Deal." Arnold agreed.  
"If we survive that long…" Alfin muttered.  
"Focus. Remember our training" Faith said. All of them, even those outside of her group but stood next to her, all snapped to attention and held the line. The green tide threw themselves upon their pikes and died in horrible ways. Faith's cried out and jabbed her Orc in the chest before kicking him off and jabbing another. Their corpses rolled down the hill which took down more of their bretheren back to the bottom as they left a streak of black blood.  
It all became a blur of green distorted faces but she kept stabbing, faster and faster. She barely noticed the man next to her die as a dwarf took his place and savagely hacked at the orc who killed him. During a quiet moment she checked the line and noticed despite the large number of orcs they were holding their own surprisingly well.  
"We're killing them!" Alfin shouted." We're actually killing them!"  
"Stay focused, Al!" Arnold shouted." Remember our training!"  
Faith noticed Frederik's pike broke but since then switched to his daggers and had them blooded as well. Jennifer stabbed a tall Orc in the chest as it's black blood squirted in the air like a fountain. She panted and smiled at Faith who in turn smiled at the kill. Neither of them saw the Warg that jumped behind them and bite the short black haired girl in the shoulder. Jennifer cried out in pain as she was dragged off like a rag doll. Faith heard Alfin calling her.

More wargs jumped behind them and tore into the pikemen lines. Arnold stabbed an Warg in the eye before it could come close. Faith did not see what happened but she heard Jennifer crying for mercy until it was cut short by a pack of growls.  
"Jen!" Frederick cried out."Godsdamnit, the hell are these Wargs coming from?!"  
"Look out!" Arnold shouted and pushed all of them aside as a flaming Ballista rolled down and took down both orc and Karland soldier in it's death throes. Faith couldn't believe her eyes as she saw Hadgar's corpse imbedded by a spear on the burning siege weapon as his beard burned along with his body. As they turned around they saw large packs of wargs lunge on dwarf and man alike and teared them apart as arms and heads flew and blood coloured the hill red. Ser Thomas was calling for a rally until a Warg jumped and took him off his horse before he proceeded to devour him. When that happened the order of the battleline shattered and one thought ran through everyone's thoughts.  
Run.

TBC


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sunny Hills. She was going to die at a place called Sunny Hills.  
Katarina raised her sword high and swung it downward hard. The spray and constant rain of black blood did not unnerve her anymore as adrenaline took over her mind and body. She let her hatred for the children of Balur fuel her. The exit from the camp cost her many of her lionesses and when she rode back to her battle lines, she found them in disarray. Save for one regiment at the van of what's left of her army, everyone ran.  
"Bank left, bank left!" Ser Tamra shouted and the knights followed, including Lady Karland. A burning ballista's rolled past them with a dwarven corpse embedded onto it as it burns. She couldn't recognize who it was, the flames had eaten to much of the features to tell. She followed the ballista's slow and painful demise until it hit a brick wall. She heard her grandfather's Wraiths put up a admirable fight but she did not doubt they to would be overrun in time. She only hoped he would give Lord Oberon and the peasants enough time to escape to the forests before he would face his second death. However the battle in front of her was already lost.

Large wolves and their orcish riders swooped down on her infantry and devoured them. Her eyes fell to one of her pikemen who was dragged off from the van. The warg threw the pikeman in the air before it rolled into a pack of them.  
The young girl, barely of age to enlist, was crying for mercy as the pack fell on her. Her cries of fear and pain stopped as a loud, sickening sound from bones shattering cracked through and each wolf ran off with a different limb. One of them licked its bloody maw and seemed to grin at her as it approached. That one was dead, Katarina decided. She drove her horse forward and shouted her battle cry, a mix of anguish and hate, as she cursed Weor and Ran and any other god that failed them.  
The wolf ran to her, followed by two of its pack. One on each side. Luckily the Lionesses that remained protected her flanks.  
More wolves joined the others and charged to the Knights.  
"Kill them all!" The orc rider on one of them cackled." Kill them all!"  
"Kill those fuckers!" Katarina shouted to hers." I WANT TO BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD! I WANT TO BATHE IN THEIR BLOOD FOR A WEEK!"

The two forces collided at hide met tooth, hoof met bone and sword met armour. Katarina knew her horse was dead when the orc held out it's crude spear and aimed for the horse instead of the rider. As the spear penetrated the horse' flesh, Katarina jumped off her mount and leaped on the Orc. The look of fear in his eyes almost made her pity him. Almost.  
Her sword penetrated his ugly face as both were tackled off the mount. Katarina rolled for a while as momentum carried her and the orc across the field. As they came to a stop she pulled her sword out of the orc and eagerly awaited her next foe. A group of them ran to her, screaming obscenities and dark promises to her body. She screamed back at them-no she did not scream. She roared.  
"I AM KATARINA OF HOUSE KARLAND! I AM THE DAUGHTER OF THE LION! I WILL RIP YOU ALL APART!" she announced to her would-be killers and charged at them.  
Sunny Hills, she was going to die at a place called Sunny Hills.

* * *

Oberon deflected a strike with ease before he severed the greenskin's head from his torso.  
He and a few other Paladins held the back line as the othes , all of them made it past the camp, guided the refugees to the forest nearby as they took the longest and safest route back to Karland Hold. The Wraiths remained in the camp to give the Paladins more time. Since only a few Orcs followed them the Former lord Harren did promise he would hold as many orcs as he could to cover their escape.  
"And another one bites the dust, praise Ran…" Marcus placed his hand on his chest to offer Ran his thanks.  
"We are not out of the woods yet." Oberon stated." We should keep moving." He had to take a few deep breaths to gather his bearings. " Getting to old for this…." he muttered under his own breath.  
"Why aren't we on the battlefield?" one of the younger Paladins asked." We're fending off stragglers. Stragglers! We are Paladins, we should be on the battlefield!"  
"Orcs always pick easy targets." Marcus spoke." If Lady Katarina did not draw enough attention and the late Lord Harren cannot hold back our pursuers we are the only shields capable of defending those whom we are sworn to protect."  
"That and it's a day for others to win glory." Oberon smiled. His mind did go to Faith and he prayed for her safety." We cant always be in the spotlights. It would be dull after a while."  
"Yes, the fawning maids and the parades and the jousts in our honour have become quite dull." Marcus joined in.

"Oh do not forget the endless feasts in our honour, the horror!" Oberon mocked.  
"It is a terrible burden." Marcus shook his head.  
"Alright enough…" the younger Paladin said." I get the poi-"  
"Lord Oberon!" One of the Paladins pointed ahead. Oberon frowned as he saw one of his shades run to him. The shade shifted through the trees and boulders as if they were nothing. In the Age of darkness, Mara the goddess of shadow created the shades from the combined essence of Weor and Eir. Light and Shadow. Reflection and Balance. Good and Evil. Because of this they did not obey the same laws as other Mortals did on the mortal plane. Unlike other races the shades fought against and alongside Balur during the Age of Chaos which earned the distrust of other races. Oberon himself was always wary of the shades, especially when Balur was involved, but they were a necessary evil.

"Regent Lord…" The Shade knelt down in front of him." The battle hasss become a masssssacre…" it hissed." The Lionssss are being overrun by a green ocean of death."  
"What?!" Marcus exclaimed." How, they had the superior position!"  
"Dark magic wasss involved…" the shade continued." Warg riders appeared behind them. Balur's Children appeared the moment the Paladinssss were out of sssight from the dark forests you are traveling towards."  
"But you scouted it before." Oberon said." We scouted it twice. There was nothing there. No orcs or dark portals"

The shade fell silent for a short moment before it spoke." The road isss unsssafe…"  
"That means our route to Karland Hold is to dangerious now…" the younger Paladin concluded." What now?"  
"The Village of Terthstein is nearby." Oberon said." That is the land of House Willberg I know but we have no other choice."  
" What of the soldiers at Sunny Hills?" Marcus asked." What of Karland Hold?"  
"We cannot help the poor souls at Sunny Hills…." Oberon sighed." But we can warn Karland Hold." He took the shade by the shoulder." Inform Lord Gerart of what happened my friend. Tell him to prepare his walls. Marcus, you lead the refugees to Terthstein. Make sure they arrive there safely. If the mayor makes a fuss tell them Stormfall will pay for any damages."  
"What of you, Regent Lord….?" The Shade asked.

"I will ride to Castle Darrow and ask Lord Jean Wilberg for assistance." He motioned to the younger paladin to fetch his horse." This is not a normal infestation anymore. Balur may not have appeared but I can smell his black magic. He has targeted this border of the Wild Marches for his evil doings."  
"Lady Karland always hated the Wilbergs so the feeling might be mutual." Marcus said." What if Lord Jean says no?"  
"We either fight together or hang separately." Oberon took the reins offered by the returning young Paladin and mounted his horse." I have dedicated decades to restoring peace in the Empire and only succeeded where there was a common enemy. My old man once said 'It is better to ally with the devil you know than to fight the devil you don't.'." he turned his horse around one last time." You have your orders gentlemen, see them through. May Eir guide us."  
"May Eir guide us…" the three men around him replied and ran off to their duties. As Oberon rode for Castle Darrow his prayers went to Faith especially. "Keep her alive, damn you…" he cursed.

* * *

"Forward!" Faith cried." Press on!"  
The small regiment of Pikemen, dwarven warriors and even a single Wraith by the name of Jarl marched on as they slashed through the Orc hordes. Arnold had taken up a Ogre's club and used his strength and height to his advantage. Frederik's jabs were dead the moment Jennifer died. Alfin threw down his spear and ran after that, Faith did not know if he survived the orcs chasing him. Hadhod had taken up his position however and moved with them. The dwarf stumbled upon them as everyone rallied to the single flying battered Black Lion on a bloody yellow field.  
The had two objectives. They held together so the Orcs would focus on them and leave the runners be. The second objective was to find Lady Karland and as many other survivors as possible.  
Faith did not know HOW she managed to rally so many around her. But she pressed on, the Orcs had enough victories for one day.

"I see her!" The Wraith exclaimed with his dry voice." I see Lady Karland."  
Faith saw her to. A single armoured warrior on a pile of dead orcs who kept slashing away. For a moment Faith thought Lady Katarina did not look worse for wear as the red headed goddess of war swung away. But she saw the strikes were becoming slower and most of the red from the Lady's face was not her hair but blood.  
"Double time it!" Faith shouted."  
The regiment ran forward toward the pile of dead orcs to save their Lady. The orcs did not expect the charge coming and paid dearly for it. Arnold's club smashed half a monster's face off as Hadhod's avenged his father by throwing a war axe which cleaved a warg rider's face in half. Katarina slipped off the hill and fell. Jarl rushed to her side and quickly picked her up in his bone like arms.  
"Back!" Faith shouted." Fall back, Tortoise!"

The regiment closed on each other and sued their spears and shields to create a shield around the Wraith and Lady Karland in his arms. The army fell back as a rain of arrows flew on them.  
"Protect the lady!" one of the Pikemen said as they raised their shield to protect her. A few of their men received a arrow for that loyalty. One of them was Arnold.  
He cried out in pain as the arrow hit him in the leg, around the knee area. He fell to the ground and cried out in pain. Faith lost her control and wanted to rush to his aid.  
"No!" he shouted and used his club to pull himself up." Go, I will cover you!"  
"Arnold, we're not leaving you damnit!" Frederik cried for his friend." I still owe you one!"  
"I'll catch up!" Arnold shouted and slammed his club at an orc's head as he tried to jump on the large boy." Just go!"

Faith's eyes locked with Arnold's. It was only a moment, but they understood each other. Arnold gave her a nod. He accepted death, he wanted his friends to life. Faith clenched her fist and pounded on her chest. Arnold returned the gesture before he turned around and walked to the direction of the oncoming orcs.  
"Fall back…" Faith ordered." Fall back!"  
"Faith, that's Arnold out there!" Frederik cried." We can't leave him, not like Jennifer!"  
"It's his choice damnit, now move! Run! RUN!"  
The regiment broke out of their formation and ran. She heard Arnold's battle cry and the overwhelming orc shrieks. A tear ran over her cheek.

The shrieks got louder as the Orcs gained on them. The regiment ran up the hill as fast as they could. Some slipped over the blood wet grass while others on bodies. Those who fell to far below were hacked to bits by the orcish monsters.  
"Sunny hills!" Hadhod growled." Bloody hills is more like it, Balur's balls!"  
"Keep running!" Faith said.  
The former tactical advantage at the beginning of the battle turned against them. It took a lot of energy to reach the top and with orcish riders behind them they would not be able to put up much of a fight. But they had to run. Their charge was a one trick pony. No orc expected a group of soldiers to break through the chaos. Faith kept herself moving, she had to. She let her rage fuel her steps. Not today, she thought, not today! She nearly stepped on a orcish corpse but as she was about to step on it's left arm, it moved out of the way. It moved out of the way.

"Keep running!" a voice above the hill said." Keep running, no matter what!" Faith listened to the advice and ignored the corpses rising and fell upon the orcs that followed them. They ran past several men in a mix of metal and leather armour who wielded dark blades with green runes embedded on them who threw green fireballs and sliced through Balur's children as if they were butter.

The remnants of the regiment finally got up the hill and faced a small group of darkly robed men and more warriors with dark blades. The robed men wore tomes and skulls around their waists and shoulders as they used large staves that seemed to glow green.  
Their eyes were all glowing green or blue or sometimes both, but it was their tabards that drew Faith's attention. Three Purple spiders on a black field.  
Servants ran to the soldiers of Karland hold and gave them water flasks and food while a woman Faith guessed was a healer tended to Lady Karland.  
One of the darkly robed man walked over to Faith and peered at her with his blue eyes. "Recruit Faith, I presume?"

TBC


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Faith gazed at the man as she tried to find anything good in him. He was a older man yes, his white beard protruded from under his cowl and from what little she saw there was a small smile. But that was all. He had skulls, thankfully orcs, adorned on his shoulders and a thick tome strapped with a chain on his side. The tome drew her attention since the cover was a rather strange colour. It was made out of some kind of leather Faith did not see before. It had a pinkish colour to it and the cover had the features of a…face? Her eyes widened. It couldn't be!  
"I am Chiran. Me and my associates serve Lord Willberg at Castle Darrow. It seems we came just in time to assist you."  
"No jest…." Frederik peered down the hill where a few of the armoured white haired men and dozens of undead orcs made quick work of their pursuers." If they caught up with us we would've had to kiss our arses goodbye." The sandy blonde young man turned to face their rescuers." So you are…?"

"Necromancers." Hadhod spat as he answered the question for Frederik." Using the dead as their tools and playthings."  
"Tools that saved your life, Master Dwarf." The Necromancer smiled despite the distain it received from the son of Hadgar." You are welcome."  
"I-we…" Faith had to compose herself." Thank you for your assistance." She bowed her head, a gesture followed by a few other pikemen." Forgive me for asking but how do you know my name and how did you know how to find us?"  
"One of your own brought us here." One of the armoured white haired men walked up to them as he slid his dark rune sword back in it's scabbard. Black blood was splattered on his face and armour but it did not even seem to bother him. He was handsome in a dark kind of way." We sensed dark magics being used to open gateways behind your battleline. I think that was the reason why your rear was attacked which led to this massacre you are fortunate to walk away from. We came to shut them down when he ran towards us and asked for help." Strong cheekbones, broad shoulders, strong arms and a stern face that seemed to hide a hint of humanity. Faith had to slap herself mentally to pay attention. Especially when the Karland pikemen that was pushed forward from the rear of the Wilberg men turned out to be someone she knew." Alfin?"

The weasely boy kept looking down at his boots as tears seemed to stream down his cheeks like blood from an open wound.  
"You son of a whore!" Frederik leaped past Hadhod and grabbed the sniffeling young man by his vest and lifted him in the air despite the heavy armour Alfin wore." YOU RAN YOU COWARD! YOU LEFT US TO DIE!"  
"I-I-I…." Alfin wept.  
"YOU RAN!" Frederik punched him in the face before he threw him down on the mud. No-one, not even the Necromancers, reacted as Frederik kept kicking the weeping Alfin in the ribs, shouting all kinds of obscenities. Faith's eyes went to Chiran who seemed to give an amused shrug. She glared at him before she took Frederik by the arm and pulled him away.  
"LET ME GO!" Frederik shouted at her." HE LEFT US!" he stared daggers at her.  
"And saved our lives by coming back." She glared back  
"HE IS A COWARD, ARNOLD DIED BECAUSE OF HIM!"

"I WAS SCARED!" Alfin cried out on the top of his lungs. Frederik turned to face him. Awestruck that the weasely boy found his voice." I saw them rip Jennifer apart! I saw them grab Ser Thomas and rip him to pieces to! I saw them spit up Ser Hadgar like a hog's roast! I didn't sign up for this! I wanted to make my old man proud and put some honour in the Deland name. I failed him alright?! I failed my family and you! I ran yes gods damned, I don't want to die!" he fell to his knees." I didn't want anyone to die…"

"Arnold would've died if Alfin was still there, Recruit Arnstone." Faith said as calmly as she could to Frederik." You lay one more punch on him, I will knock you down."  
"That a threat?" Frederik cracked his knuckles.  
"A warning." She said and pulled him closer." We are running out of friends Jackass, you want to lose one more?"  
When she pulled him closer she saw the pain he was trying to hold back. Tears were begin to form as his voice croaked." No…" he said under his breath.  
"Then let this go for now. Please." She pleaded." We will talk this through later but we need to stick together now. All of us."  
"What's left of us…" Frederik said before he went back to his position. Faith helped Alfin up." You hurt?" she hoped he was, but he couldn't lose her temper. Not now.  
"I'm fine…" Alfin said to her disappointment." I'm fine."  
"Good, grab a weapon and get back in line Recruit Deland." She ordered. Alfin found some courage as he slammed his fist into his chest before he picked up a orc's spear and stood in line with the rest of the regiment and a few meters away from Frederick.

"Lord Chiran." One of the servants bowed." Lady Karland is in bad shape and the Wraith is not allowing us to treat her."  
"No Wilberg man will touch a Karland while I still draw breath!" Jarl announced. A moment of awkward silence passed." Figuratively speaking of course." He added.  
"She can die you stupid sack of bones!" The servant argued.  
"You call me that again and I'll punch a hole through your stomach and pull out and break your spine." Jarl stared the man down with his lifeless eyes. The servant flinched and actually hid behind Chiran.

"Chiran." The dark handsome man said." The orcs are driven off and the camp burns but I doubt they will leave things as they are. We should move."  
"You are right, Mordran." Chiran replied." Terthstein is a ways off and we rather be behind some walls when the sun has set. I suggest you do the same, Recruit Faith."  
Faith nodded at him." I cannot speak for Lady Karland but in name of those who survived here…thank you. I do not know how to repay you."  
Chiran seemed pleased with the courtesy and bowed his head to her." The pleasure was all mine. Take care child and may Lovar guide you in the darkness to come."

The Spiders marched into a formation and set off towards the dark forests. The handsome man named Mordran passed by her." I saw you fight down there. This your trial by fire?"  
"Yes." She replied. "It is." She added rather clumsily.  
"You did good." He gave her a hint of a smile.  
"I had an escape route ready." She replied.  
" Indeed. I should keep my eye on you. All of us should." He bowed his head." Until we meet again Miss Faith."  
As he walked off she bowed her head and barely managed to hide her red cheeks.  
"Making nice with Warlocks to eh?" Hadhod said as he shook his head. "Got a bad taste in friends, Faith."  
"They saved us, didn't they?" Alfin objected." And they were polite to me and willingly followed me to help you."  
"Like they politely stood aside when Frederik was wailing on you?" Hadhod glared which made Alfin look back to his feet." Don't ever trust a Wilberg, friend. The Spiders will drag you into their web and suck you dry."  
"They still saved our arses, Hadhod." Frederik said." If it weren't for them we would've went the same way as your old man did."  
The dwarf exploded." MY FATHER DIED A WARRIOR'S DEATH!"  
"Enough!" Jarl intervened." We must move, Lady Karland is in danger and only the healers might save her."  
"He's right." Faith said." If she dies, Arnold's sacrifice would have been in vain. Jarl, you know the fastest way back?"  
"I do." The skeletal warrior replied." This way."  
The small regiment followed the Wraith back to Karland Hold as they left the blood soaked Sunny Hills behind them, along with their dead kin and the optimism they had the morning they left.

She did not know how long they walked but eventually she found herself past the forests and in the walls of Karland Hold. Scribe Thorvik and Lord Gerart ran down the ramparts with a group of healers. Jarl gently placed Lady Karland on a stretcher before the healers and Thorvik carried her away. He turned to Gerart who watched his sister get carried off.  
"Did anyone else make it?" Jarl asked.  
"Hm" Gerart barely seemed to notice the hulking undead warrior beside him." No, no I'm sorry…you are the only Wraith who did. Thorvik said nearly all of the souls of your kin have gone into the afterlife. Including my grandfather."  
"Then I will return to the crypt and await your call." Jarl slammed his skeletal hand on his armoured chest plate and marched to the crypt.  
Ser Karl and two other guardsmen marched to the regiment. He did not say anything for a few moments as he inspected the ragged band of soldiers. She expected him to lash out followed by a long tirade of insults. Only three words left his mouth that night. "So damn few…" he motioned them to the barracks, including the dwarven warriors.

Later she found out her group was not the only one that returned. A few Lionesses under Ser Tamra returned as well as some pockets of archers, pikemen and the odd dwarf. There were many casualties all over, only five hundred men out of the three thousand and five hundred.  
No ballista's or Wraiths returned and there was no word from Lord Oberon and his Paladins nor the villagers they may or may not have saved.

One of the survivors at the tavern said Lord Oberon ran like a coward and the orcs were feasting on his bones as well as the paladins. It took Frederik, Hadhod, Alfin and a few other soldiers to pull her off that archer. Ser Karl send the four of them to the very empty recruits chambers to cool down. When they came back into the barracks none of them went off. Frederik did not go off to sleep with the dwarven kitchen maid. Alfin did not go home to his family nor did Hadgar. And Faith…she had nowhere else to go. Each went to their own bunk and tried to forget the horror they witnessed today.  
As the night went on, one by one came to sleep near each other. Even Alfin and Frederik seemed to have made peace with one another. Hadhod shared his mead flask with them. None of them spoke, it seemed wrong to speak. As one by one fell asleep, Faith stared at the roof above and remembered Oberon's words from the same morning which seemed a lifetime away.

_One week of training does not prepare you for war_. Oberon said.  
"Neither does a whole lifetime…" Faith said to herself as she huddled closer to Frederik and let her eyelids fall. That night she did not go into a dream state.

TBC


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Oberon pushed his steed to the limit as the sun began to set over Sunny Hills.  
Already he could see the moon appear from behind Farwol's Ridge, the mountain range which separated Eastern Stormwall from the West. He remembered the old wife's tales his nanny told him when he was but a lad that the mountain was created by the death of the great drake Farwol. A wicked worm that sided with Balur during the Day of the Eclipse and died when Weor himself slayed the beast. As he crashed and rotted, his bones became the mountain and the dwarves decided to life there as they expanded from Caer Bran to the East.

Caer Bran was the closest capitol nearby, Oberon thought, the dwarves would have to help uphold the border lest every stronghold across Norsvald bay was lost to Balur's children. His mind went to Thane's Folly, they were the closest to Balur's chasm, was that city already burning? Grimrock as well. He would have to send messengers to the Rookery Keep to the east and hope they could get past the Orcs so the halflings could send the dragons to come aid them.  
But maybe it was already all to late for Faith. Why did he let that girl run off like that?!

Oberon shook his head, there would be time to mourn her later. First things first. The region had to be united before he could risk sending messengers to Stormfall let alone Caer Bran. Already he could see Castle Darrow appear in the distance as the last of the sun's rays began to decay. He could mark out the Three Purple Spiders on the banner as they waved with the wind. The guards spotted him. However he heard the gate already open as the sentries waved him in. Did they know he was coming? He drove through as the gates closed behind him.

Castle Darrow, unlike Karland Hold, was hewn into the rock of Farwol's ridge with the walls around it being a recent addition. Its many halls were actually caves, nicely decorated of course. Legend had it Castle Darrow was a stronghold named Darrow's Peak. An Orcish warlord named Gorvar held the Rock and ruled with an iron fist. Gorvar was an old and evil Orc who survived centuries after the Day of the Eclipse with the aid of foul magic and who terrorized the countryside. His favourite targets were women and he took many of them from nearby villages and castles. However he made the mistake of taking Lady Helena, the fiancé of then Ser Wilberg. Ser Wilberg raised his army and marched to Darrow's peak. It was Ser Willberg who dispatched the foul creature after a seven year long siege and renamed it Castle Darrow. However Gorvar with his dying breath cursed Wilberg and his bloodline and Darrow's dark magic had always played a part in the Willberg line. Which explains why so many Necromancers and warlocks took residence there.

Already he saw several Warlocks' gaze follow him as he rode to the highest peak of Castle Darrow. The Highest peak had a ravine with sharp spikes at the end and a sole drawbridge which was lowered as Oberon arrived. Oberon slowed his steed down to a trod and rode in. The sentries from the portculis lowered their crossbows and bowed their heads to the Lord of Stormfall. Oberon returned the gesture and dismounted as a stable boy took the reins of his steed. Oberon felt his neckhairs rise when he saw who came to greet him. He was a head taller than Oberon and eerily looked similar to him with his white beard and hair. But that is where the similarities stopped. A long scar ran across the left side of his face and a black eyepatch covered his eye. There was a hint of malice in his remaining eye which sparked into restrained hatred when his eye met Oberon's. The lord of Stormfall could not blame him, he was the reason his half-brother only had the one eye now.

"Darren." Oberon said as respectful as he could.  
"Oberon." The one eyed man replied with an ice cold voice." We heard of your arrival after the disaster at Sunny Hills."  
"Glad I am still alive?" Oberon asked.  
"Hardly." Darren replied." Lord Jean on the other hand is however. He wishes for you to speak to him. Which is why you are here I assume?"  
Oberon gave the Grand Marshall of Castle Darrow a affirming nod and followed him inside the castle proper.  
"How is our sister?" Darren asked his half brother as they passed through the dark corridors." i have not recieved a letter from her for some time."  
"Fine." Oberon replied." She and our cousin are alright."  
"Good. Perhaps I will come over to Stormfall to see her."  
"And not me?" Oberon smiled but did not even see Darren turn his head around to show his disaproval.

Servants and guardsmen alike bowed their heads only slightly to Oberon, a strict order from Darren the One-Eye no doubt.  
"I see everyone inside the castle has stiff necks." Oberon jested.  
"You seem eager to jest after what happened today." Darren retorted." You know how many men died at those hills today?"  
"To many." Oberon sighed." To gods damned many."  
"If it is worth anything, Lady Katarina and your….protégé survived." Darren said.  
"Faith?" the Lord of Stormfall sighed again but of relief this time before he glanced at the Grand Marshall with suspicious eyes." How do you know her?"  
Darren did not reply as he instead opened the door into the solar.

The solar was nice and tidy, however large amounts of books were placed on the huge bookshelves around them as were large life sized paintings of past Lords and Ladies of Castle Darrow. In the corner of the solar there was a large table, also covered in books but also scrolls of parchment and quils. The table of a scholar, Oberon decided. The one who was seated behind the table was a man with dark hair and a tiny moustache. His overcoat and trousers were likewise also black, wool dyed black probably, He was ten years Lady Katarina's elder and been the Lord of Darrow and Patriarch of House Wilberg for twice as long. Because of Lord Oberon himself when he executed his father and grandfather for crimes against the Empire and cast House Willberg into the shadow where traitors and kinslayers belonged. And now twenty years later Oberon came to ask him for help.

Jean smiled however when he saw Oberon and stood up from his table." Lord Oberon, please take a seat." He offered the chair across of him. Oberon returned the smile and was seated. When he took his seat he just noticed a woman in a purple robe was stood behind Lord Jean. A woman scribe, Oberon frowned slightly at the idea. It was not unheard of but still very rare.  
"I see you noticed Lady Janista?" Jean said." I know it's rare to have a woman as a scribe to work for me, but she is just as skilled as Radfael himself."  
"My lord is to kind." Janista replied. Her purple hood covered most of her face so Oberon couldn't see exactly how she looked like and her monotone voice didn't bring any assurances either.  
"I am sure, my apologies for gawking my lady. I mean no offense." He smiled at Janista before he turned to Jean." I see you heard of my arrival?"  
"I have friends in many places." Jean replied as he snapped his fingers and a servant girl brought a bottle of wine and two glasses. She poured in two glasses and offered one to each. Jean smiled and thanked her as Oberon did. "Will Lady Willberg be present?" Oberon asked.  
"No, she is busy praying I'm sad to say." Jean smiled before he continued. "When I heard you were headed to my humble abode while your men brought those poor people to my village I had to be a good host. Do not fret your Paladins arrived safely at Terthstein with the refugees and they are all taken care of. We also have an account of the battle. Grand Marshall Darren if you please." Jean held out a scroll which Darren took. The one eye unrolled a scroll from his Lord and read the report.

"Of the three thousand and five hundred men that marched out of Karland Hold only five hundred returned. Lady Katarina has survived the battle but her Grand Marshall Ser Hadgar and Ser Thomas fell in battle. Special mention goes to recruit Faith, one of the Pikemen recruits who managed to rally fifty men and saved Lady Karland before she in turn was rescued by Lord Chiran of the Guild of Necromancers, employed to Lord Jean Wilberg. Third of his name and rightful lord of Castle Darrow."  
"You have to love people who write about themselves in the third person." Jean chuckled." Go on."  
"Of our own men we lost none thanks to the amble amount of cannon fodder created by the Karland troops." Darren continued." No Karland men were raised as per the instructions of Lord Willberg. The mission was a complete success."

Oberon frowned slightly." That is a very detailed description."  
"Like I said, I have friends in many places." Jean replied." Those friends also told me of dark portals that opened behind the Karland battleline which massacred the troops. My Necromancers closed the portals when they sensed them but by then the damage was done."  
"You know who opened the portals?" Oberon asked.  
"No." Janista replied." But we believe it is a powerful sorcerer who hides in the Ridge. My shades say there is a large horde there who are slowly trickling down to our lands."  
"Which means the orcs raids will get worse." Darren added.  
"Which is why you are here." Jean took a sip from his wine." After the losses the Karlands suffered at Sunny Hills you come to rally the local lords into a temporary alliance to fend off the dark horde."  
"I see my lord is well informed." Oberon replied as he barely managed to not glare." I believe you wish a exchange?"

Jean swallowed his wine down." Yes I do. My brother is currently held hostage in Seagarde for the crimes my father and his father committed decades ago, I wish him freed."  
Oberon knew this might have been the price to pay." I can see-"  
Jean held up his hand." Not yet. I have a second request. My younger sister, Lady Jenna, has just become of age to wed and a stronger tie with the Karlands is wanting."  
Oberon blinked astonished at Lord Willberg." You wish to marry off your sister to Lord Gerart?"  
"That is my intent yes." Jean replied." For to long have our houses been long since divided by this squabble. My House paid for its sins ever since and even House Seagard has forgiven our past transgression as has Stormfall I am sure."

"What your father and grandfather did was treason, Lord Jean." Oberon said." Many families were destroyed by this-"  
"As was mine." Jean replied harshly." I paid for my father's sins for to long. For twenty years I had to beg to the Harren Karland and Aviani Seagarde for forgiveness for those sins. For twenty years I had to rebuild what we lost in weeks. I saw my father and grandfather lose their heads on the same day and my mother die of grief three months later. I saw my younger brother carried off to Seagard because if he were taken to Karland Hold he wouldn't have lived past winter. It took ten years for Seagarde to forgive me enough so I could marry Lord Aviani's youngest daughter." He leaned back in his chair as he poured himself in another glass." You know Katarina and Gerart well, Oberon. I want you to convince them of this Alliance. If Balur's children would attack Karland Hold they will not survive a direct siege for to long and we both know both your Stormfall troops and the Gigant tribe are to far away to help. I want assurances that my family will forgiven for its past crimes."

" I will make no promises, but I will do my best." Oberon rubbed his chin thoughtfully." What does your sister say?"  
"Who do you think came up with the Idea?" He smirked. "I only want this hostility to end Lord Oberon, especially if the Orcs will start raiding my lands next. Peace is all I can hope for." Jean said before he stood." We can offer you a room if you like, it is not safe to travel at night. In the morning I will send one of my best men with you to negotiate with the Karlands."  
"And the refugees?" Oberon asked.  
"I will send some of my men to help yours escort them to the hold." Jean replied." A token of good will."

"I thank you, my lord." Oberon finished his glass and stood up. Jean smiled and pulled the servant girl closer." Please take our guest to his room please, Pam. Make sure he is well looked after."  
"Yes my lord…" the servant girl replied as she placed the wine bottle away before she could lead Oberon to the guest quarters. Beofre Oberon followed he turned to Jean. " Your Grand Marshall told me you know about a young Karland recruit called Faith."  
"Did he?" Jean's gaze went to Darren who was still stood with his arms folded.  
"I want to know what you plan to do to her" Oberon asked.  
"I can ask you the same question, my lord." Jean retorted." You have taken this girl under your wing for some reason. I am curious why."  
Oberon thought his answer over carefully before he replied." I have met Lords and Ladies before whom I know who I could trust when the Empire collapsed after the Emperor and the Seven Kings died years ago. I had the same feeling when I met Katarina Karland and you. I have the same feeling when I met her."  
"Then I can promise you on my mother's grave, she will not be harmed." Jean smiled. "We will talk more tomorrow after you have rested. Good night."  
"Good night, my lord." Oberon replied and followed Pam to the guest characters. He could sense Darren's one eye on him still as he left the room.

As he followed her his mind raced. What Lord Jean said was right. After the losses suffered at Sunny Hills it was only logical that an Alliance had to be forged between Karland and Willberg and a marriage was a good idea. With the loss at Sunny Hills a marriage would be good for morale. That was logic speaking but not the emotional side. Lady Katarina would rather die than ally with the Willbergs. Ser Karl, the only person left who could serve as the next Grand Marshall of Karland Hall, also disliked the Spiders. He rubbed his face as he entered his guest room and barely noticed the door close. Karland Hold was along the way to Seagard so either way he had to announce the plans to Lady Katarina. And allowing Phillip to be freed from Seagard is another thing altogether. As far as he knew the "hostage" turned into another member of the family. He dined with Aviani's table as a guest. He grew up with the Albatross and not the Spiders and save for a few letters every Winter Festival there was no contact between the siblings.

"You seem more gentle then Ser Darren…" the servant girl said.  
Oberon blinked as he snapped back to the present." I'm sorry, I-" he turned red as he saw Pam _unclasp the back of her dress which she let fall on the floor. She was a pretty enough girl with curvy hips and small breasts but it was the walk that got him_. _That seductive walk, the way a women knew she was attractive_. She walked over as she had to look up to him." You look handsomer to, no scar…"

Her hand felt like soft silk as it went across his cheek.  
"That is kind, urghm…"  
"Pam." She smiled as she leaned in for a kiss.  
"Pam." He smiled as she gently stopped her." But it's fine, really."  
"Don't you think I'm pretty…?" she seemed terrified.  
"I think you are very pretty." Oberon tried to assure her." And if I were younger I would've…gladly taken your urghm…offer. It's alright, thank you but no."  
"Oh." Pam sounded disappointed as she began to redress. Oberon felt obligated to help her clasp her dress back up.  
"I am sorry." He said with a small smile.  
"It is fine, my lord." She smiled back halfheartedly." I am sorry to have disturbed you."

"No harm done." He pecked her on the cheek before he slipped some coin on her hand." Go home, if anyone asks tell them Lord Oberon send you on a special task."  
Her smile said enough as she held him." Thank you, my lord." She said with a big smile and walked off.  
Oberon couldn't help but smile a bit himself as he closed the door. Still a Paladin of the Divine Blade, still a gods damned hero.

* * *

"So he will propose the idea?"  
The voice spoke from the other side of the mirror as Janista and her Lord who stood behind her were on their.  
"He will come to Karland Hold soon." Janista replied." He will have one of my men with him. Mordran."  
"A Warlock?" the voice asked.  
"Plenty of survivors will recognize him as the one who saved them." Jean said." It will not win any popularity contests, but they will feel indebted to at least hear them out. That and Mordran is a no nonsense kind of man, something the Karlands like over the 'sneakiness' of my family." He frowned at the mirror." We all know what is coming, my friend. This Alliance HAS to work or everyone and everything will be slain or turned into Balur's plaything. We already had to change the plan because you didn't want to do what is right."  
"Lady Karland is NOT to be harmed or altered in any way." The voice nearly shouted." People will notice and then the other plan will go up in smoke."  
"You got to close…" Janista replied." You are making the same mistake I made."  
"I know what I am doing." The voice said." The Alliance will work, one way or another. You keep your mind on Seagard, I will keep mine on the marriage."  
"Very well." Jean sighed." Good luck my friend, may Lodvar aid you do your work in the shadows."  
"And you as well." The voice said before the connection broke and the mirror returned to it's natural state.

"You didn't ask him about Faith." Janista said.  
"What is there to know?" Jean replied." She is just some farmer's daughter who got uplifted by Oberon."  
"She may be a hindrance to our plans."  
"I gave him my word I would not touch her Janista. I am already doing more damage to my family name with this plan already. I do not wish to hurt it any more."  
"Very well, my lord…" she bowed her head.

The two conspirators stood in the silent solar as they seemed to wait for the right moment.  
"There is no other way." Janista said to her Lord." Seagard will not be involved unless she dies. With what happened at the Sunny Hills we have no more time to waste."  
"I know."

"I do not know why you seem so troubled. It is an unhappy marriage and previous trysts' have not stopped you before."  
"An unhappy marriage is one thing, murder is another." The Lord of Castle Darrow took the wine bottle and poured himself another glass which he gulped down in one." I know he send Patrice to mock me, to end my bloodline. A barren, religious woman who rather reads holy scriptures than be alive. To be with me. I do not love her but I do not hate her either."  
Janista placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. She pulled him close and kissed him deeply. Jean cautiously returned it before his hunger took over and pulled the hood of her head, which revealed her long blonde hair and the elven ears.

_He held her down on the table as he undid his belt while she threw off her purple robe and exposed her nude elven beauty. Without remorse he lunged into her as his regrets and sorrows were filled with blind passion and lust.  
"I will give you a son…" Janista promised as she held on to her Lord and her eyes flashed blue." I will give you a child and bring the Houses together and stop the dark." Her elven blonde hair turned white as her features changed to that of a human. To that of Lady Patrice Willberg born Seagard.  
"Janista…" he groaned as he let his passions take over completely. _

Somewhere in the castle a blue light appeared and began to take shape. It passed several forms until it stuck with that of a orc. The orc that was not an orc sniffed in the air as it got scent of it's prey. Without any delay it ran through the walls and headed for it's prey. That night there were two screams in Castle Darrow. The first almost no-one heard as the creature swallowed it's target whole. The second when Lady Willberg and her husband were attacked by the creature but thankfully were defended by Ser Darren' sword and quick thinking. The dice were cast….

TBC


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"How are the supplies?" Karl asked as he wrote down on a letter.  
"With all due respect for the dead…" Gerart said as he went through the books." In case of a siege we will last some time. Three years."  
"What about ore, gold, oil, timber?" Karl sealed the letter into an envelope before he took another letter and scribbled down some more.  
"Enough to arm another one hundred men, a couple of horses…and even build a golem if we so desire." Gerart took off his glasses." Do you have to do that?"  
"Do what, seneschal?" Karl did not look up from his work as he sealed another letter and began anew. The curtains obscured the moon and the stars outside but neither of the men cared to watch them. It was long past midnight and still many things had to be done.

"Write a letter to every family that lost someone at Sunny Hills." Gerart rubbed his eyes wearily." We lost over three thousand men. There is no need nor time to address them all. you heard what the Shade said and other reports afterward. The Orcs are massing on the mountain and for all we know we just awoke a sleeping giant when we attacked their camp."  
Karl finished his letter before he glanced up at Lord Karland." You are right my lord. Over three thousand men did die in Sunny Hills today. Men and women with families. Wives, husbands, children, mothers, fathers. Men who gave their lives so the Orcs were driven off and the villagers saved. Men who did their duty in the name of House Karland and Karland Hold. Men we couldn't take back home for a proper burial. This is the least we can do for their sake's and their families."  
The former Nomadic warrior went back to writing.

"No-one is disagreeing with you, Karlag." Gerart replied." But if the Orcs are rallying for another attack we need to be ready. You need to be ready."  
"You do your work Seneschal and I will do mine." The new Grand Marshall replied.  
"I didn't know the Eastern tribes had such big hearts." Gerart gave a small smile before he placed his glasses back on and went back to the books.  
"The Warhogs were a tribe. A clan. Everyone knew each other. We relied on each other. For the hunt, warmth, construction of a new campsite and so on. If one of us fell in battle, the tribe would grieve. You may think of us as savages who live in tents but in all my years behind your castle walls, here things are still the same. You need the commoners and they need you. You may not know each other but your laws and walls keep them save while they keep you fed and guarded."

"You are saying we are all equal?" Gerart smirked as he stopped working.  
"We are." Karl replied." Difference is power. If your ancestor was not a Knight who was given lands you could have been one of the common people working for Lord Willberg."  
"No need to get rude now." Gerart chuckled. Karl could not help but smirk back.  
"Fair enough." Karl agreed." But it still matters."  
"What if, theologically speaking, the gods chose Ser Thorrus to be a Lord? That he and his line had the divine right to rule?"  
"The gods have abandoned us haven't they?"  
"Yes but lets say if they were still around. Would that matter? Whom should we answer for? No-one, right?" Gerart placed the leg of his glasses in his mouth and nibbled on it as he usually did.  
"My mother had a saying." Karl finished his letter and took his stamp and began stamping each letter with the Black Lion." There is power in the blood of kings, emperors and chieftains. But that blood will be shed of they would abuse their power. They are meant to serve the tribe and not the other way around."

"Sounds wise." Gerart pointed the leg at Karl before he placed it back in his mouth.  
"Well it would be, my mother was the elder of the Warhogs." Ser Karl smiled.  
"You think me and my sister did that?" the Seneschal got on his feet and walked over to the nearby wine rack and took out two glasses." Serve the people I mean?"  
"Did I upset my lord's conscious?" Karl looked up from his work.  
"Answer the question and I might give you some Gwarheyvad wine." The Seneschal took a black bottle and uncorked it before he poured in both glasses.  
"The very nectar of the gods themselves." Karl leaned back." Very well. I think you and your sister did a good job. Your people never starved or suffered and you did what you could for the villagers of Vestig and Mordfell. Lady Katarina fell in love with a scribe, a common man no less, and fought alongside her men in battle."  
"Nearly died as well…" Gerart gave a glass to the Grand Marshall." Thorvik and the healers said she will be fine until then we're in charge. To her well-being."  
"To her well-being." The savage warrior agreed and gently tapped his glass to Gerart's before drinking.

"This is good…until she recovers this also means we might have to make a few choices she wouldn't make." Karl said after a gulp.  
"The Spiders?" Lord Karland took a sip from his glass." By Eir's grace, Karl…Out of all the people you were the last i expected you to consider their aid an option to consider. You know how their words are."  
"I know. ' In the shadows we wait', right?" Karl replied." True but Hadgar said before he left, may Bran guide his soul to the forge to be reforged, that you suggested this idea."  
"I did and then you and Oberon's prodigy reported that the Spiders were there to help when everything went south. They say it's dark portals but it's all very coincidental don't you think? Speaking of your protégé, remind me to give her a medal tomorrow. I owe my sister's life to her."  
"I will, it will fit nicely with her field command." Karl agreed before he switched the topic back to the Willberg's." If the Willberg's enslaved the Orcs, Karland Hold would be under siege right now. And no man can control an orc."  
"They may have found a way. Castle Darrow is full of black magic, you said so yourself in your war stories. Something about…" Gerart snapped his fingers as if he tried to summon the memories." Ripping off a skeleton's femur bone and beating him with it?"  
"True story." Karl smiled." I still got it in my quarters, sometimes I show it to the recruits."  
"As a motivator I'm sure." Gerart returned the smile." But back on topic. How can we trust the Willberg's or better yet how will we survive Katarina's anger when she finds out?"  
"Your call, Seneschal." The Grand Marshall said." I merely point out the options."

"That option is one of last resort." Gerart took a sip from his wine glass." The Gigants might be on their way as well as a Stormfall task force. It will take some time and until then we are defenseless…maybe Seagard can help? We are on good terms with Lord Avianai and since his daughter's are all married I do not have to marry one for an alliance."  
"Which also means one less reason to ally with us." Karl replied." Remember, Lord Harren was Aviani's friend. Not your father, nor you nor your sister. He will want something in return."  
"I'm sure we can find something in the inventory." Gerart motioned to the books." Gold, land, maybe a blood alliance when Amelia comes of age."  
"You would want to marry off Amelia?"  
"When she is of age…she is an half elf, Karl. She will outlive all of us. She might even become a Niathi like her mother was long after this castle has turned to dust…It's something to consider." he took another sip which emptied the glass. "Gods, I hate wars."

"Wars are a part of life." Karl finished his." And like life it has two sides."  
"Two sides?" Gerart frowned." A few minutes ago you were talking about how bad of a man I was for not respecting war."  
"No, I as opposed to how you treated warriors and their families. What I do is respect the sacrifices made in war. And I pray to Ran or Veyon that the lives we lost are not in vain. If it were not for war we would be defenseless against the Orcs. Swords, shields, armour, horses, magic…we were trained to defend ourselves. Your ancestor got this hold and the lands with it because of war, remember? It has it's glories and it's horrors."  
"The horrors are making you write those letters. The horrors are making people scared."  
"And united." Karl added.  
"So can other ventures. The creation of a castle or a bridge. Or maintaining the beacons with resources and man power…" Gerart went for a refill." Speaking off, we bringing some back?"  
"Men from the beacon?" Karl clarified." A few but you know what happens after they take the darkening."  
"We may need those men on the walls." Geralt sighed." The pen Is mightier than the sword indeed. I don't see it stop a claymore though."  
"Unless the pen stopped the one holding the claymore before the conflict started." Karl walked over." Orcs can not be negotiated with, men can. That is why you are here Lord Karland. Making sure we get paid and fed and in good relations with our friends and dangerious enough for our enemies."  
Gerart smiled as he poured in Karl's glass." And I am glad you are here to keep us all save."  
Both held up their wine glasses and had another toast.

TBC


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The sound of Sea Gulls woke Phillip Willberg from his slumber. He slowly got out of his bed as to not wake the figure sleeping next to him and stretched before he walked over to the window of the small room. Absentmindedly he played with the spider medallion around his neck as he brushed his long black hair away from his face before he placed his hand on the handle and pushed the window open. The sun was barely up yet as life returned to the docks a few meters away. Sailors prepared ships to leave or hauled in fresh fish. Phillip leaned on the window sill as more sea gulls flew by.

When he was young he loathed them. Their cries reminded him he was not at home anymore in Castle Darrow, away from his parents and his brother and sister. He was seven or eight or so, he couldn't remember exactly. He hated being woken up by the gulls or the smell of sea air. He hated dining with Lord Aviani and his five children, three of them girls and two his sons with the eldest being a bastard. He didn't like the girls, they teased him. The bastard, Eric, kept to himself while the other son, Thomas did his best to be friends with him.  
They tried to play with him as well but Phillip didn't trust them. He was taken away from home without being able to say goodbye to his mother or his siblings and letters were only allowed at the Winter Festival.  
This was his prison, he would grow old and die here, away from his family. Forever.  
But that was twenty years ago and the cries of Sea Gulls were as common to him now as the sun setting and rising.

He became friendly with the Seagarde children and even missed the three girls as each went off on their own paths. Attina the eldest married a elven lord from Nam'eir, far to the west past the Norsvald bay and even further past Tyr. She represented Seagarde interests at the Gilded sea and made a lot of profit each year.  
The second eldest, but the tallest, daughter was send to Karland Hold as a squire of sorts to closely tie Seagarde and Karland together. Lord Avianai blamed Andrina's 'manly' behavior she sported afterwards because of her friendship to Katarina Karland. Andrina joined the Gigant tribe a few years ago and became one of their best warriors. Of course both her and Attina had a few children each and both made trips at least once a year to see their father.  
The youngest, Patrice, was married to Phillip's brother, Jean Willberg. Patrice was always the more introverted out of the three sisters. Lady Seagarde died in childbirth and although Aviani always loved her and never blamed her for her wife's death, Patrice prayed to the Gods daily both for her mother and her forgiveness. Much like Phillip appreciated having a quiet spot. She prayed while he read novels or other books to escape the confines of his prison, at least mentally. So the irony of all ironies came the day she was to be wed to Lord Jean Willberg, Phillip's older brother. Patrice wanted to stay while Phillip wanted to leave. In her letters she stated her marriage was a loveless one and after her stillbirth she no longer slept at her husband's side. Phillip sighed sadly. He stil prayed for her most nights.

"Phillip…?" the figure stirred in his bed.  
"Morning, sleepyhead." Phillip smiled as he cast aside the unhappy thoughts." Did I wake you?"  
"No, blasted sea gulls did…" the figure replied as he sat up with a big yawn. Like the other members of the Seagarde line, Thomas' hair was as white as snow, his muscles as big as boulders and his eyes were as blue as the oceans themselves. "You would think living here all my life I would've gotten used to it…"  
He stood up from the bed and wandered over to Phillip." Tea?"  
"Sure." Phillip replied and kissed him. He pulled back and playfully waved his hand as if to wave away a bad odour.  
"Morning breath?" Thomas frowned slightly before he went to the kitchen cupboards and took out a small pot.  
"Morning breath." Phillip agreed." Last time we have garlic for dinner."  
"Well next time you cook the damn dinner then, Balur's balls..." Thomas cursed as he threw some firewood into the furnace and lit it with a match. He then took the metal pan with water in it and placed it on the fire.

"I didn't say it was bad, Tom." Phillip went back to watching the fishermen." In fact I think my reward for you last night was a not subtle reminder of how much I love anything that comes from you."  
"Alright, alright…" Thomas yawned as he took out two cups." No need to get vulgar…"  
"You love it." The Willberg son smirked.  
"I do, now close the window it's freezing." The heir of Seagarde replied.

"You are bad at romance, Tom." Phillip shook his head and went to close the window. Halfway however he stopped as something caught his eye.  
"Phillip, I asked you to close the window. I'm freezing my nipples off" Thomas looked up as he saw his lover still gazing outside." Phillip, You alright?"  
"Did your father mention any parades or carnivals coming to town?" Phillip asked as he stepped aside. Thomas shook his head and followed Phillip's gaze. His eyes fell on a large group of men that left a recently docked ship.

Most of them were men but a few women also were among their number. They wore ragged clothing and pieces of leather armour. Some wore more elaborate armour but Thomas and Phillip saw those were discarded by the previous owner before the mob got their hands on it. Most of them had an eye patch over one of their eyes as they held spears in the air, or very sharp sticks.  
"They don't look like sailors I've seen before…" Phillip said." Pirates?"  
"No worse." Thomas motioned to the back of the mob. The man was decked out in black metal armour with orange overtones as red eyes flared from behind his helmet's visor. " The mob of a Hero."

Phillip gulped when the words sank in. Heroes were warriors elevated by the Gods themselves to lead the fight against darkness in darkshine. Such men and women were on the move constantly and often brought war and ruin with them. The mob around them was common as often than not many religiously inclined felt obligated to follow a hero on their journey.  
"Religious fanatics…" Thomas shook his head.  
"Weor cultists probably as well." Phillip added." Explains the eye gouging thing. It doesn't explain why they are here…"  
"There have been Orc raids on Karland lands but that's all." Thomas replied as the host moved past." Wonder what they are doing here?"  
"Your father bought him perhaps?" Phillip walked to the floor and picked up his clothes.  
"No tea then?" Thomas sighed annoyed.  
"No tea." Phillip replied as he dressed. After he slipped on his shirt he kissed his lover deeply." I'll see you at the castle."  
"Wait." Thomas stopped him and wrapped a scarf around him." It's cold outside on the roof tops and slippery."  
"Thank you." Phillip smiled. You made this for me?"  
"Of course not, I bought it." Thomas smirked.  
"What do I tell your father when he sees this?" the Willberg asked. The mood soured as the gravity of their relationship struck again." I like sneaking around Tom but we have to tell him eventually…"  
"We will tell father some other time…" Thomas held his hand." Until then…say it's from a servant maid or your bought it. Father always allowed you to marry any common or low noble woman."  
"It's not a woman I want to marry." Phillip kissed him one last time before he opened the window again." I'll see you at the castle."  
Thomas nodded." At the castle. Be careful alright?"  
"You know me, Tom. I am the avatar of careful." Phillip smiled and climbed outside.

Phillip kept his eyes on the host down below as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop.  
He knew these rooftops and chimney's as well as any pedestrian knew the roads down below. He stepped at the last house as he looked up to the castle wall that towered high above them and the tall tower that reached for miles in the air above that as well. The large tower, The Torch the locals called it, that was located in the center of the castle also served as a lighthouse for the ships that traveled the Norsvald Bay. It was build a long time ago and it was even older than the castle and its walls around it. Lord Aviani claimed Seagard was build around the tower to secure trade with the other fiefdoms around the bay.  
He stopped on the rooftop of a warehouse which was his leaping point toward climbing the Castle walls. He would have to hurry to be up there before the sun has risen if he did not wish the morning fishermen or worse tey, the guards to see him.

"In the Shadows we wait…" Phillip held the spider medallion in his hand as he made the leap. His hands caught the same rock and effortlessly he pulled himself up the castle walls.  
He repeated those words every time he made that risky jump. It was superstition sure but still he felt some comfort when he said them. They were his House's words after all. He saw Lord Avaiani as a father but Phillip never forgot where he came from. He was a Willberg, A Spider. In his was the blood of Ser Willberg the Orc Slayer, the original spider. His House was great once, it could be again.  
He saw the Seagarde as family and Thomas…he loved Thomas. But he never forgot that cold morning when he was pulled away from his mother and the two heads that were mounted outside Castle Darrow.

Phillip climbed as fast as he could, he noticed he may have broken his ten minute record, as the sun began to rise even faster. He did not look down or else he would fall. He was a Spider, Spiders did not fall. He spotted his open window and exerted himself to climb up there faster. His hands found the reeling and he pulled/ rolled himself into his bedroom . He took a moment to catch his breath and a quick wash, he hated the cold water, before he switched into his normal attire. His trousers were blue and his overcoat white. He snuck the Spider medallion in his shirt behind the overcoat before he left his room to have breakfast.

The walls were all covered with blue tapestries, the Seagarde colour. Most of them had the Albatross on it but some had a mermaid courting a young man of noblity embroided on it. Legend said that a Captain and later the first Lord Seagarde's ship was beset by a storm that frequently raged over the bay and he was swept away by the waves. However a Mermaid that watched from afar saved him. As she dragged him to shore she fell in love with him and sang to him, but dissapeared into the waves before he could have a clear look. Seagarde searched far and wide for the woman who saved his life but did not find her. The Mermaid, longing for her lord, made a deal with a Sea Hag to give her legs, at the cost of her voice and a seven day deadline in which she did not bed Lord seagarde that her soul would be send to Balur. The Mermaid made the trade and was later found ashore by Seagarde. He took her to the then recently build Keep and looked after her but did not know she was the woman who saved him. The Sea Hag, jealious of the Mermaid, took her voice and used her spell to make herself into a woman and seduced the Lord with her vile magics, much to the Mermaid's dismay. On the seventh day when the Hag and the Lord were to be married, the Mermaid found out about the betrayal and killed the hag with a the wedding cae knife. The hag's body transformed back to that of a hidious sea creature and her hold of Seagarde faded as the mermaid regained her voice. The two expressed their love for each other and hastily married and bedded each other so the mermaid's soul would not be send to Balur. And thus began the line of Seagarde. It is for this reason Lord Avianai claimed that Mermaids and other sea creatures that hated Balur would not attack any ship bearing the Seagarde Albatross since the Mermaid's blood coursed through the veins of House Seagarde. The Mermaid's attidude was also adopted into the House's words. "Against the Tide, against the odds."

Phillip quickly ran past the tapestries and when he reached the dining hall he found it barely filled. Normally by this point Aviani and his court were dining well on fish and bread but so far only Eric and his family were seated as the servants carried around food and drink.  
Eric was clearly a Seagarde with his long white hair but unlike his siblings he was slightly less buff and more lean. His eyes were brown as well which was because of his mother, a noble lady from Stormfall. The child on his lap was defiantly his as the boy looked nearly identical to his father while the older daughter that was seated next to him was a spitting image of her mother who was one of the serving girls that served the food.  
Eric smiled when he saw Phillip and waved." Phillip, good morning!"  
"Good morning, Eric." Phillip replied with a smile and sat across of him. "Good morning little halflings." he chuckled and ruffled both the girl and the boy's hair.  
"I'm not a Halfling I'm a mermaid, stupid!" the girl frowned.  
"A mermaid eh?" Phillip smirked." You seem to be in the wrong place Miss, the Bay is downstairs."  
"Don't give her ideas." Eric said as he fed his son some porridge." We're still finding hay all over the house from her dragon stage."

"Fair enough." Phillip smiled." Misses alright?"  
"Misses is making father's breakfast first." Eric replied." She'll be seated with us afterward. Besides I want to talk to you first."  
"How so?" Phillip asked as he took some bacon slices and placed it on his bread.  
"I have been hearing rumours…" Eric said." From the other guardsmen. They say they have seen you jumping and running over the rooftops."  
"Me? Running on rooftops?" Phillip placed his hand on his chest." Why would I break out of the castle to risk slipping off roofs or walls and break my fragile little bones? Perish the thought!"  
" All right, all right…." Eric wiped the porridge of his son's face." No need to get sarcastic. Just be careful next time."  
"I will." Phillip said." Did your father mind?"  
"Father was young once-"  
"Was he now? Curious…" Phillip smirked as he took a knife and smeared some mustard on the bacon.  
"Shut it, Willberg." Eric retorted with a grin." Like I was saying, no he doesn't mind. He knows you are probably visiting friends in the docks or lady friends…in fact I'm surprised there are no little Willberg's running about here."  
"Well no offense to you my good friend, but I am careful with my indiscretions." Phillip took a bite from his meal." And-"  
"Don't talk with your mouth full!" the little girl pointed at Phillip who immediately fell silent much to her father's amusement.  
"Just like your mother." Eric chuckled and ruffled her hair. "You were saying?"

Phillip cleared out his mouth." I saw a Hero arrive at the docks this morning."  
Everyone, including the servants stopped cold in their tracks. Eric stared at the Willberg boy with disbelief in his eyes." A hero?"  
"Here along with his fanatics." Phillip took another bite.  
"Father did say he was preparing the defenses for possible orc attacks…" Eric pondered for a moment." It does explain why he is not here."  
"Where is he then?" Phillip asked.  
"His chambers with the council. Ever since the Lions have been getting attacked by the Orcs he has been on guard. Last night he got even worse and even asked me to prepare conscriptions just in case. Even Seneschal Dirk was asked to set aside some coin and timber for ships or men."  
Phillip frowned, it was as if Lord Aviani was preparing for war." Did he contact the Mermaids?"  
"No idea, you know how secretive Scribes can be." Eric replied." Grimsby tolerates you on a good day and will beat the snot out of you if-"

The doors of the hall were kicked wide open as a Shade ran past, followed by a pale Thomas.  
"Thomas?" Eric blinked as he handed his son to a serving girl." What's wrong?"  
"What is with the Shade?" Phillip asked.  
"It's Patrice!" Thomas gasped." She was attacked by an Orc last night!"

TBC


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

**The sky was as dark as night as the hordes of darkness shouted at them on the opposite side of the field. They smashed down the last of the skeletal forces and moved onward to the host of light, eager to spill fresh blood.**  
**Behind the united forces of light stood a large black beacon which towered over them like a mountain over a village. Despite its ancient look you could see the numerous renovations made, as well as the battle scars from previous assaults. On the top of that beacon burned a light which cast some sunlight and blue sky through the darkening sky. Thousands of men behind her awaited her call. Of all the banners she saw waving in the wind she only recognized a few. The Karland Lion, Willberg Spider, the Sigil of Stormfall and many others. Above her, perched on the beacon, the Halfling Dragonriders awaited the signal to swoop down and burn the dark hordes as the Gryphon Knights were to wage an aerial battle with the Marennon. The last dwarven ballista's were loaded as Knights on her left flank and Barbarian riders, with horses and large war elephants, on her right prepared for battle and prayed to their gods. **  
**"They outnumber us four to one." Highlord Arnstone said with his typical sly smile." Seems you will have to pay up, Hadhod."**  
**"Aye, I believe I do." Thane Hadhod replied." I'll have to pay you in the afterlife then."**  
**"Even if we win?" **  
**"Especially if we win." The Thane jested.**

**"The Necromancers report the skeletal horde will be defeated in five minutes." Mordran announced to the leader of the Alliance.**  
**"Your orders?" Ser Tamra asked.**  
**"Tell the dragons to unleash hell on my signal." The High Lady ordered." And tell the archers and artillery to keep aiming for the center of the Horde. Ser Tamra and Chief Andrina will smash their flanks. Lord Oberon, you will have the van with me."**  
**"At your side my lady." Oberon bowed his head." They will sing of this battle one day, preferably by someone who isn't green." **  
**"There goes my Spring clothing collection…" Frederick sighed. **  
**"The skeletal forces is defeated, my love." Mordran said." Now is the time."**

**The High Lady nodded at her lover and held her spear high in the air. The dying sunlight punched through the dark clouds one final time as it illuminated the host. The men slammed their swords on their shields, thumped their spears on the ground and began drumming on their war drums. The dragons roared as they jumped off the beacon and cast large shadows over the host and flew toward the Orc hordes. The world stopped breathing as the dragons inhaled…and unleashed an inferno of fire. Many hundreds of orcs died in the flames as foul magicks and arrows felled three dragons. Red bat creatures flew to assault the dragons but faced opposition from the gryphons.**

**The dwarven artillery and elven arrows opened fire on the horde as they charged forward. The High Lady turned to see her troops one last time." Once more into hell, my brothers and sisters. Once more into victory!" **  
**"Faith, Faith, Faith, Faith!" They chanted as high Lady Faith slammed her visor shut and charged forward, followed by her friends and allies. The two armies met on the gray field as fire and brimstone fell down from the heavens. Faith stabbed and charged her men forward as large monstrosities besides Orcs and Ogres lumbered to her. Orcish savageness met Human vengeance and Ogre clubs met Warlock runeblades. Despite being outnumbered the host fought as bitterly as they did before and every ground they had to give was paid for in hundreds of orcish lives. Faith and her fellows were like gods on the battlefield. Which drew his attention. In the distance a grotesque god in dark armour appeared, his sword covered in blood. Slowly he marched forward with his dark horde. "Soon…" Balur said in a dark, deep forbidding voice." Soon."**

Faith sat up straight as cold swear ran down her back. She looked around and saw she was still in the barracks, all alone. The recruit got up and washed her face in the basin as a recruit walked to her.  
"Faith, you alright?"  
"Bad dream." She replied before she turned to face him. "What is it, Tommen?"  
"It's the Grand Marshall, he's calling for you."

* * *

The walls were the best place to have a little fun, Frederik knew. Very quiet and barely anyone came by when they had to patrol. With the kitchen you always had to hurry since a hungry soldier or a other staff member could walk in. And he had his fill of Dagna the dwarf girl just for that reason as well as Darci the baker. Her brother nearly caught them once and she was not worth the effort courting. Even Annie Frond, the daughter of a rich trader from some city in the Dawn Fjords, did not really hold his attention for long. She was an attractive blonde woman who had no qualms spending her father's money or brief relations before she had to return home via Seagarde in a day or three before Lord Karland or Grand Marshall Khan announced the roads were save to travel on again. It started off exciting but it just felt empty despite the coin he received in return for his seed. He looked toward the sundial to his right and saw he was to meet her in two hours before he continued what he was doing.

He did not like the women sentries or recruits. He saw many of their sisters die on the Sunny Hills which he tried to ignore but failed. It had been three days since the disaster at Sunny Hills and one day since the survivors were allowed to go back to their families. Faith remained at the barracks with a few others, those who didn't have families or were from villages to far out. Alfin went to his family, ashamed of his near desertion turned into a heroic deed, while Hadhod went to the Crypt to speak to Jarl for reasons Frederik could not guess save it had something to do with his father. All of them changed from the ordeal. Faith became more involved with the other recruits and even went to visit Jennifer and Arnold's families. Alfin became more distant and Hadhod had to drink himself into a stupor every night to fight his demons. And Frederik lost his appetite in women and pick pocketing.

Even the farmer redhead woman he took to the walls in an attempt to arouse any faint feelings of an affair and excitement for Annie did nothing to him. Balur's balls, he did not even know her name. Annabella? Kristien? All that mattered was that she was willing enough when coins were shown and wanted to 'thank' the soldiers for their sacrifice for Sunny Hills.  
So was it while he _was holding her hips from behind and thrusted himself in her while she mewled_, his mind wandered. His eyes darted over the countryside as he saw farmers plough in the distance and birds dart around them. There was a mill nearby where Karl recruited him into the Pikemen after some men found out he was cheating at cards. He wondered if Karl was there at that cardgame for a reason. _Frederik barely noticed the farmer undoing her shirt and grabbing his hand to put it on one of her breasts. Deciding he had enough he hurried it up to her climax and his own when something caught his eyes. As the woman caught her breath_, Frederik pulled his trousers back on and jumped on the reeling as he peered ahead.  
"Fred, that was-" the farmer tried to say but got ignored as he jumped passed her with a smile on his face and ran nearly half a lap around the keep for the nearest guard. She glared annoyed as he ran and dressed. As she did her eyes darted to a large host that marched toward the Hold, as the banner of Stormfall flew above.

* * *

Faith shook the dream from her head as she walked through the halls of the barracks. She stopped in front of Karl's office. She took a moment to collect her thoughts and courage before she knocked on the Grand Marshall's door.  
"Come in." Karl said as Faith opened the door.  
Faith entered the office and saw it was cluttered with all kinds of effects. Maps, books, half written letters and the sort. It seemed Ser Hadgar was not a neat organizer and Ser Karl inherited that burden along with the title of Grand Marshall.  
"You called for me, sir?" she asked. Ser-no, Grand Marshall Karlag Khan finished his current letter before he looked up to the recruit." Recruit Faith, take a seat."  
Faith nodded at her commanding officer and sat across of him on the opposite end of the desk.  
"Thank you sir." she said.  
Karl placed the envelope on the pile before he leaned back and folded his hands in front of him as he looked at her. She saw he was tired and barely looked like the raw authoritive figure as he had been a week ago when he was training them. A week ago, she mused, more like a lifetime and a half.

He seemed to study her for what seemed like hours before he finally spoke.  
"I do not know what to think of you, child." He said.  
"Sir?" Faith raised her brow.  
"Lord Oberon and Lady Karland found you two weeks ago, a girl who survived the sacking of an entire village by Orcs with nothing worse for wear except a few scratches and amnesia. One week ago you managed to rally four strangers to work together and get back to the castle and now two days ago….you led a small group of men through the chaos and slaughter to rescue Lady Karland while others commanders, men I had fought beside for years, ran like children to their mother's skirts."

"I do not understand, sir." Faith clenched her hands together under the table." I merely followed your training and Lord Oberon's advice. I do not know if Lady Karland even made it."  
"She did, Scribe Thorvik got her stabilized." Karl replied and stood up. Faith felt the burden wash away as he walked over to the window as the sun was reaching it's zenith in the afternoon sun." Tell me, what do you know of Heroes?"  
"Heroes are men or women who have been touched by the gods." Faith said as she recalled one of Jennifer's lectures. A pain struck her heart when she realized there would be no more such lectures." They have a natural charisma to lead armies toward greatness, against the hordes of Balur."

Karl turned to see her. Faith looked at him, confused until it struck her. " Sir, I cant be-"  
"Some say you might be." The Nomadic warrior replied." You have an unnatural charisma to draws men to your side. And not just men but also dwarves and Wraith's, undead creatures that only follow the orders from the Lord or Lady from their Keep. You excel in combat and remain calm in combat. You literally came out of nowhere and managed to draw the attention of not just us but also the Spiders and Seagarde."  
"Sir I…I merely did my duty. To Karland hold. I lost friends on those hills." She shook her head." I am no hero. I am no-one, anyone else could've done it."  
"And I would've lost more men and recruits and my lady if someone else did." Karl motioned her over as he looked back outside. Faith hesitated before she complied and stood next to him as both saw the nearly empty courtyard out the window as well as the market place beyond the walls of the barracks." My mother had a saying. Most men are like untempered steel. They have to be molded and cooled down first in the waters of experience and wisdom to be used properly. The time it takes for each steel to be formed into a proper tool, be it a sword or a shovel, depends from each ore. Some people bend and others break."  
"What steel am I, sir?" Faith asked.  
"You have already been forged, Recruit. Oberon before he left said he knew something was special about you. You are the steel where legends are made off. Question is, what legend."

"I am a recruit, sir." Faith tried her hardest not to frown." I am just a girl from Vestig who got lucky. I am not a hero."  
"Depends on the definition of the term…but that does not change the fact that I need more soldiers and good men to lead them." he turned to face her." As Grand Marshall of Karland Hold I hereby promote you to Captain of a new regiment consisting of the surviving recruits and other soldiers who lost their regiments."  
Faith stepped back." Captain?!" She heard the troops from her dream call to her but she silenced them.  
Karl nodded. "You got the leadership skills and despite having only been trained a week you know our basic tactics very well. You know the recruits better than the other Corporals or Captains do and led them through this baptism by fire." He paused. "We got our arses kicked at Sunny Hills and it will take some time to recuperate from that. And I'm not going to lie, if the Orcs are looking for payback and are headed our way before we can get more men…chances are a lot of people will die. I don't know about you but I rather want men on my walls who I know will not run away at the first sign of a green skinned son of a ogre."

"I..." she hesitated. She only wanted to kill Orcs and if she died so be it. But with an entire regiment of two hundred or so men to look after she couldn't be reckless anymore.  
"Balur's balls, Recruit! " Karl snapped." I don't care IF you are a Hero or some idiot with a spear who happened to be on the right place at the right time. I don't care if you are Oberon's bastard daughter or some messiah send down by the damned gods them-!"  
"Captain!" she stood at attention." It's Captain Faith, sir!"  
"You are gods damned right!" Karl replied and slammed a medal in her chest. Faith coughed as she fell to her knees as her hands held the silver medal of a Lion holding a spear on it." And after you are done throwing up your breakfast get out of my office and get your regiment together, we got work to do, Captain." He sat back down in his chair as Faith slowly made her way outside." And next time don't interrupt me when I'm taking or I'll shove that medallion where the sun don't shine! AND IT WONT BE YOUR MOUTH!"  
"Yes sir…" Faith coughed and closed the door behind her. Despite barely being able to stand on her two legs she could not help but smile. A new regiment under her command and Grand Marshall Karl was back to his regular self again. She barely had enough time to dodge as a messenger ran passed her and opened the door. "Grand Marshall!"  
"Balur's balls, WHAT?!" Karl shouted." If I keep being interrupted I swear I'll break off the next man's manhood and use it as my quill!"  
The messenger gulped." It's Lord Oberon sir…he and the Paladins are sighted outside our walls."  
"Oh thank the gods finally good news." Karl said as Faith could not help but smile. She knew Oberon was alive!  
"Along with the villagers they rescued from the camp." The messenger continued.  
"That's good."  
"And….an escort of Willberg troops under the command of a Warlock."  
Faith quickly ran as she nearly felt the building shake when Grand Marshall Karlag Khan expressed his displeasure.

TBC


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It was the early morning still as the sun's rays barely penetrated through the foliage. Mud covered the path in front of the large caravan as a large team of oxen pulled the carriages filled with supplies and refugees meant for Karland Hold. Warriors in plated armour marched alongside the caravan as mounted scouts left and arrived to guide the caravan toward more accessible paths. A rider guided the caravan towards the north-east as the north-west path was crawling with orcs, which two of the caravan's best men were dealing with.

Mordran enjoyed the bloodshed. His dark blade yearned for slaughter for a very long time and like a man who was parched for far to long, the long drunk in every single drop of black orc blood. His blade was not the only weapon he had to his disposal though. He muttered something quickly in a dark and unnatural tongue before a orb of green fire was formed in his hand and was thrown at one of the monsters. The Orc was hit square in the chest and screeched horribly as the green flames consumed it. A vile grin appeared on the Warlock's face.  
"You are enjoying this to much, Warlock." Mordran's companion chided. Where the Warlock killed the orcs in a way they suffered more or died for a time longer, the Paladin known as Marcus made quick and clean kills. A shield bash to get them off their feet and a jab in the head. A swift and clean death.

"And you should be having more fun!" Mordran retorted before he deflected a strike and severed the orc' sword arm from his body and kicked it in the mud." How many brothers did you lose at the Bloody Hills?"  
"More then you I am sure." Marcus replied as he moved on to his next target." But that is no excuse to letting them suffer."  
"They would do exactly the same thing to you if they had the chance, Paladin." Mordran threw another green orb of fire at one of the last remaining orcs. As the creature screeched in pain he leaned on his sword and watched the Paladin deal with the last spawn of Balur.  
"Help?!" Marcus cried out as two orcs charged forward and wailed at the Paladin.  
"No I am good thank you." Mordran smiled. Marcus cursed and fought on. Before long the two last orc monsters lay dead on the mud. The Paladin caught his breath before he glared at the Warlock.  
"Oh, you meant I should help yo.." Mordran slapped himself on the head." My apologies, I misunderstood."  
"A warlock with a sense of humour, I thought those died very young…" Marcus took Mordran's cape and wiped the black blood of his sword off on it before he threw it back to Mordran.  
The Warlock did not seem to mind at all and kept grinning." We are a dying breed I can assure you, those who face the darkness daily are not the stuff where jesters are made off."

"More's the pity." Marcus replied before he took off his helmet and faced the sun." We thank you Eir for your light, we thank you Ran for your blades and courage, we thank you Bran for our armour. May Weor watch over us and you. May the Light protect us."  
"An awful lot of gods to thank for all this." Mordran kicked one of the dead orcs." I haven't seen them down here and fight these orcs."  
"I haven't seen your god here either." Marcus turned to face the Warlock and slid his helmet back on.  
"True, trust me if he was we would've been aided by a flight of warrior women and we would be halfway through an orgy right now…" he sighed sadly." Such is life sadly."  
"And here thinks I may have chosen the wrong profession." Marcus grinned and walked back to the direction of the caravan with Mordran beside him.  
"Oh if you wish to join the Warlocks you still can." Mordran said as he stepped over an corpse." We can use more men like you."  
"I am not the type of man that would join your order." Marcus replied.  
"How so?"  
"I am no murderer. Nor a thief nor a rapist." He turned to face the warlock.  
"Come now Paladin, we are all killers here. What do you think we did back there, an extreme form of acupuncture?"  
"I did feel relieved I have to admit." The Paladin smiled slightly." But you know what I mean. I know who you are Mordran, what you did to earn a place amongst the witches of Tyr Sibrydion."  
"Kinslayer." Mordran's good mood faded as he frowned at the Paladin." Is that the term you wished to throw at me?"  
"Not even Lord Oberon during the Darrow rebellion took his brother's life."  
"I am not Lord Oberon and if he had any sense he would've killed Lord Darren instead of letting that wound puss and fester."  
"You speak of treason." Marcus almost sounded shocked.  
"My loyalties to House Willberg are certain. I swore an oath to protect that line and the people of Castle Darrow. It didn't say anything about Darren, Oberon or any of you for that matter." Mordran's hand fell to the tome that hung on a chain on his waist. The tome held all the spells and potions he knew which he gathered over his career as a Warlock." I paid for my crimes when I joined the brotherhood of witches. The trials changed me in ways you cannot fathom. I am no longer the man you heard of. The Butcher of Thane's Folly. The Dervan Kinslayer."  
"You could've fooled me." The Paladin trudged on through the mud.  
"I changed my ways."  
"People do not change that much." Marcus replied." Some men are born wolves, some are sheep. You may be wearing sheep's clothing but your fangs are showing through."  
"A lot of wisdom coming from a man who prays to the gods who do not hear him." Mordran replied." Especially when your order preaches Redemption being possible at every turn."  
"Not all of us deserve redemption, Warlock. Especially not you."

"Who are you to decide that? You have no right." Mordran groaned annoyed." Forget it, when we're back to the caravan you go back to your friends and I go back to mine. We'll pretend to tolerate each other until me and mine go back to Darrow while you and your run to Seagarde before Balur sacks Karland hold."  
"We will not abandon those who need us. That is Stormfall's creed." Marcus leaped on the rocks nearby and offered his hand to Mordran to drag him out of the mud. The Warlock took it without much hesitation as both toward the caravan.  
"There still is a Stormfall?" Mordran wondered. "I thought that idea died with the Emperor and the nine kings."  
"It has not died yet. Lord Oberon is doing what it takes to hold the Empire together."  
"He is fighting a losing battle." The Warlock pointed out.  
"He might." Marcus admitted." But is better than doing nothing."  
"For once, I agree with you Paladin."  
"Good. Now its another half hour to the caravan and truth be told I rather not wish to hear your voice during that."  
"And so ends that era…" Mordran sighed." Very well."

Thirty minutes passed before the two rejoined the large caravan trail. The sounds of sobbing children and marching soldiers filled the air as the duo made their way to the banner which held the sigil of Stormfall. Beside the banner bearer rode Lord Oberon himself as he read a note which he then gave to another rider who then ran off.  
"Lord Oberon." Marcus slammed his fist on his chest." We cleared the stragglers behind us."  
"Good, that will be the last of the scouts then." Oberon replied." Last thing we need is the Orcs picking off at our rear guard." He glanced over at the two. Despite his weariness the old man still had a smile on his lips." I don't know about you but im not a fan of the survival of the fittest way of thinking."  
"Not what your brother would say, my lord." Mordran replied.  
"Well, mother didn't hug him enough when we were young I'm sure." Oberon chuckled sadly.  
"How much further to Karland Hold?" Marcus asked his liege.  
"A few hours, we'll be there by midday hopefully." Oberon said before another rider rode in.  
"Derrick." Oberon motioned the rider forward.  
"My lord, our scouts have found more orcs ahead. We will need to go North-west again."  
Oberon shook his head." That detour will take to long and we will be camping outside again. Take the reserves and any man able to bear arms and punch through. We were lucky enough to have avoided any trouble the previous two nights and we do not wish to mock fate any longer. Mordran, Marcus can I ask for you to join the attack force?"

"Of course my lord." Marcus saluted." Just give me a horse and I'm there."  
"Likewise." Mordran agreed." I fear I may have sprained my ankle earlier."  
Oberon gave a wry smile." Go back a cart or two and ask the stable man for some fresh horses. Good luck gentlemen, may Eir guide you."  
"May she guide you as well, my lord." Marcus saluted Lord Oberon and quickly moved to the horses.

A few hours later the caravan drove past the remains of the large skirmish as bodies and dying men were laid aside. Marcus moved to the body of Derrick and muttered a quick prayer. A Warg had clawed the Paladin's guts out and his arm was missing. One of the many casualties suffered by the attack. "I'm sorry you cant finish that banner, old friend…" Marcus said and closed the man's eyes. He glanced to Mordran and expected an cruel jest. He even had his hand on his sword hilt. But the Warlock merely gave him a solem nod and moved aside so the carts could pass. Marcus took the pendant of his fallen friend and added it to the collection he gained in his purse. Another son of Stormfall who would not return home. And another body to be left behind.  
Marcus slowly walked back and joined the caravan to Karland Hold.

By midday the Caravan made it passed the forests and onto the farmland. The mill twirled along in the wind as farmers stopped what they were doing as they saw the huge caravan move past. Marcus looked up ahead and saw the walls of Karland Hold appear. It had only been three days but it felt like a lifetime when he last saw them. Spontaneously farmers came and offered food and water to the Paladins who all suggested to hand the supplies to the refugees. Marcus had to wave away several food and water stuffs himself. When his eye went to Mordran he saw the Warlock did take a flask of water but likewise gave the food to his men and the children on the carts. There was more to the Warlock that met the eye, Marcus thought

The caravan drove to the Hold as the sun reached it's zenith above. Even Lord Oberon was surprised when he saw the defenses placed on the walls. Many men with bows and crossbows manned the wall and the new guards outside the wall nearly made the refugees run away with fear. The creatures were almost as tall as the gate they were protecting and covered in magical gems. Their skin was made out of thick rock as their eyes glowed purple.  
"Golems." Oberon said." The dwarven artificers must've made them and Scribe Thorvik awakened them shortly after Sunny Hills. They will not harm us but do not aggravate them."  
"Soundest advice I heard all week." Mordran said." The other is always washing your hands before dinner."  
"You must lead a very dull life or you are lying." Marcus frowned.  
"A little of column A and a little of column B." Mordran smiled.  
"It's Lord Oberon!" the gatewatcher shouted." Open the gates!"

The Golems stepped aside as the gate opened and a cheer went up as the Karland soldiers welcomed them back. Even a few soldiers seemed to approach the Wilhelm troops with good spirits, undoubtly those who were saved by the Wilhelm party after the massacre. Marcus recognized one of the recruits he met when he went to fetch the blonde girl for Lord Oberon. He didn't remember his name or hers but saw the experience also left the young man scarred.  
"Oberon!" a woman shouted which drew Oberon's attention. Marcus saw the weariness of the old man fade away as a blonde woman in the garb of a Captain ran to him. Oberon leapt off his horse and held the girl in his arms.  
"It's good to see you again, my girl." He smiled." And look at you, Captain as well."  
"I got lucky…" she smirked." And thought of an escape route when things went to the pot."  
Oberon laughed." Indeed."  
Marcus stepped forward but it was the Warlock who spoke." Captain Faith, it has a nice ring to it." Faith, that was her name, Marcus frowned.  
"Warlock Modran, Marcus, good to see you as well." She replied as she stepped back form Oberon. Marcus noticed a faint blush on her cheeks when her eyes fell on the Warlock." Grand Marshall Khan will be here in a moment. But Seneschal Gerart Karland is already here."

She stepped aside as the brother of the Lady of Karland Hold ran down the stairs. His gaze that went to the refugees was a strange one. Marcus thought at first he saw relieve, but then doubt followed by fear. They had not saved enough for a siege nor the winter for this many, Marcus knew. When he glanced to Oberon and Mordran he knew they thought the same.  
"Lord Gerart." Oberon bowed his head.  
"Oberon, its good to see you my friend." Gerart replied and held the Lord of Stormfall for a moment before he let go." We feared for you."  
"I may be old, but unkillable still." Oberon smiled. He moved aside so Mordran could step in." This is Mister Mordran, a Warlock who serves House Willberg." Mordran bowed." He has come for an audience with your sister."  
Gerart raised his brow suspiciously when the name of the House which held Castle Darrow sounded." What for audience?"  
"An alliance, my lord." Mordran stated and took out a scroll from his person which held the purple seal with a spider branded on it." Lady Willberg has been attacked by the Orcs three nights ago. I fear we have been drafted into this war as well."

TBC


End file.
